Garry Lyon's plea over Clayton Oliver saga amid bombshell Demons 'ultimatum'

The Melbourne Demons have reportedly handed Clayton Oliver an 'ultimatum' amid transfer speculation as Garry Lyon defends the 26-year-old over the contract fiasco. Oliver has been the talk of the AFL world this week with reports multiple clubs are interested in signing him, despite holding a seven-year contract with the Demons.

According to Tom Morris of SEN: "The Demons will not allow their gun on-baller to leave for anything less than what they believe he is worth, given he is contracted until the end of 2030." On Wednesday, club great Garry Lyon spoke out about the fears of Oliver leaving the Demons, despite his long term contract.

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“I’m horrified at the prospect. He’s one of my all-time favourites. I’m horrified at the prospect at the thought that this (could happen).”

And on Thursday, SEN AFL journalist Sam Edmund reported the Melbourne Demons have handed Oliver an 'ultimatum' regarding his 'erratic behaviour' in recent times. The report claimed they did not want Oliver to leave the club, but were trying to nurture him through a tough time in his career.

"They have made a series of demands to Oliver that include the need to treat club staff with respect, teammates with respect, prepare the way he should and to turn up to training in the proper condition," Edmund wrote.

"It can be revealed that Melbourne’s reluctance to squash the frenzied trade talk surrounding the 26-year-old is exclusively due to its exasperation with Oliver’s increasingly erratic behaviour."

The 'shape-up or ship off' report comes as Demons club icon Lyon has defended the youngster. Appearing on SEN on Thursday morning, Lyon said the club and Oliver are attempting to work out their differences. When asked about his position on the reports, Lyon said he didn't want to take sides.

"I am neither here nor there. What you can't do is put yourself in the position of the player or the club over terms of what are the sticking points," Lyon said. "There are a couple of issues that have got to be resolved. I don't think they are insurmountable...I am hoping they can work their way through it."

Lyon added that from what he knows from within the club, the story was not a 'media beat-up' and there was trouble. "It's not a media beat-up...in terms of how it should consume you, let the club work through it and let the player and their manager work through it," he added. Lyon compared the situation to Dustin Martin in 2006 and Jordan De Goey last year with reports of interest from a rival club.

Aaron Naughton re-signs mega deal with Western Bulldogs

Western Bulldogs have announced the eight-year contract extension of Aaron Naughton until the end of 2032. The club announced the signing on Wednesday evening with Naughton signing a contract extension for another eight years, on top of the one year left on his current contract.

The tall goal-kicker surpassed Sydney Swans star Nick Blakey for having the longest contract in the AFL. Naughton has been stellar for the Bulldogs having kicked 191 goals in 123 games since being drafted in 2017. The move, amid the Oliver saga, prompted Port Adelaide legend Warren Tredrea to question the length of the contract.

"Footy world has gone mad,” he wrote. Kane Cornes was critical of the extension and even made the suggestion Naughton wasn't one of the top goal kickers in 2023.

"8 years - someone tell them that 32 year-old small fwd Luke Breust kicked more goals than him this year. This will not end well," he wrote.

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