Latest news with #ClaytonOliver
7NEWS
a day ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Clayton Oliver's car stolen during home invasion on eve of 200th game
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has revealed midfielder Clayton Oliver's car was stolen during the week. 7NEWS exclusively reported the champion's house was broken into, but there were no further details around what happened other than Oliver was OK and will take the field on Saturday night for his milestone 200th game. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Clayton Oliver has house broken into ahead of 200th game. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today It's still unclear whether Oliver was home at the time, but Goodwin said his car was stolen during the home invasion. 'A couple of days ago he had his car stolen so he had a bit of a laugh about it yesterday, but he's all good,' Goodwin told Fox Footy on Saturday night. 'I think it's given him a great chance to reflect, he has many of his family and friends here to support him. It's just great to see him in such a great place.' It's the latest chapter — albeit not one that was his fault — in what has been a turbulent couple of years for the three-time All-Australian. Oliver had a desire to be traded to Geelong at the end of last year, but Melbourne held firm, holding him to his lucrative and long-term contract. The denied attempt at a move came after a string of off-field and personal issues which saw him take time away from the club. Since fighting back from those challenges, Oliver has returned to the fold but is still working to rediscover his best form. Trade speculation is expected to resurface at the end of year as the Demons splutter to another season without finals.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Melbourne Demons star Clayton Oliver targeted by thieves in home invasion ahead of 200th AFL game milestone
Clayton Oliver has been left shaken after his home was broken into just days before his 200th AFL appearance. The Melbourne star was the victim of a home invasion earlier this week, confirmed by the Demons on Friday night. While the club wouldn't say whether anything was taken or if Oliver was inside at the time, the incident has cast a shadow over what should have been a career highlight. Despite the unsettling break-in, the 27-year-old trained as usual and will still run out for his milestone match against Carlton on Saturday night. The burglary is an unwelcome disruption in a period already marked by off-field challenges for the three-time All-Australian. Oliver has endured a string of personal struggles in recent years, including a failed attempt to leave the club at the end of last season. That trade request to Geelong was denied by Melbourne, who held firm on his long-term contract. He spent extended periods away from the club in 2023 to deal with physical and mental health issues. Persistent hamstring injuries disrupted his season and limited his on-field impact. There were reports of tension between Oliver and Melbourne's coaching staff, sparking speculation about his future at the club. Off-field concerns emerged, including questions around his wellbeing and professionalism. At the end of the 2023 season, he requested a trade to Geelong in search of a fresh start. Melbourne refused, citing their commitment to his lucrative long-term contract. It came at a time with there were strong rumours that star teammate Christian Petracca was also looking to exit the Demons. Now Oliver's premiership teammate Bailey Fritsch has been linked to a move in the trade period. 'We're in a mindset of getting better and at the end of the year we'll sit down and work through what all that looks like,' coach Simon Goodwin told reporters on Thursday. 'We feel as a footy club we're very stable, both off the field and now on the field, from 12 months ago. 'So we feel like we're in a really, really strong position to make some really strong and good decisions moving forward about how we get to where we want to as quick as we can.'
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Melbourne Demons take a massive risk by handing Kysaiah Pickett a staggering $12MILLION contract until end of 2034 season
Melbourne will hope their latest long-term contract gamble pays off after re-signing star forward Kysaiah Pickett on a monster seven-year extension. Livewire Demons forward Pickett, already locked in for two more seasons, becomes the longest-contracted player in the AFL after rejecting the lure of a return to Western Australia to sign a deal that runs until the end of 2034. Pickett will be 33 by the end of his new contract, a deal reportedly worth $12million that echoes blockbuster contracts handed to premiership teammates Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca in 2021. The 24-year-old is in career-best form, shooting to stardom this year as one of the most lethal small forwards in the competition. He leads 14th-placed Melbourne (5-8) with 21 goals after kicking three in their King's Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood. It was his five-goal haul against Fremantle in round six that helped spark the Demons after a dismal 0-5 start to the season. The length of the new deal is somewhat surprising, given Pickett has been open about struggling with homesickness since being drafted - and Melbourne would now have leverage if he seeks a move in the next few years. It is also eyebrow-raising given similarly lucrative, long-term deals with Oliver and Petracca have proved testing for both the players and club. Oliver signed a bumper seven-year extension until the end of 2030 off the back of Melbourne's historic 2021 premiership. The star midfielder has since only shown glimpses of the form that earned him four club best-and-fairest awards and three All-Australian nods as he continues to manage personal issues. Petracca re-committed in 2021, when he won the Norm Smith medal, to stay until the end of 2029 before suffering life-threatening injuries in the King's Birthday match last year. Frustrated with Melbourne around their standards and their management of his injury, Petracca wanted out and was keen to explore a move to a big Victorian club. Oliver himself met with Geelong officials and players to test interest in a trade last year. But both he and Petracca ultimately stayed. Pickett's contract extension means a significant chunk of Melbourne's salary cap will likely be tied up in those three players. The crafty forward had been at the centre of rampant trade speculation, given his family links to both Perth and Adelaide. Fremantle, where 2021 premiership teammate Luke Jackson plays, was reported as a potential destination. The support of former Demons player and club Indigenous project officer Matt Whelan helped Pickett come to his decision. 'He understands what it's like to be homesick, coming from Darwin,' Pickett said in a club-produced video. 'He's been here since I've come, and he's been very important. He's the main reason why I do feel comfortable in this space. 'He just let me do my own thing and come to a decision myself. 'It hasn't really sunk in that I'll be in Melbourne for the next nine years. 'It's crazy to think that someone from Quairading (in WA), with not much as a little kid growing up, that they'll be in AFL for so long.' Drafted with pick No.12 in 2019, Pickett has booted 182 goals from 116 games. Pickett's deal eclipses Fremantle's Hayden Young, who is signed until 2033. Gold Coast's Mac Andrew is on a five-year contract from 2025, which will be extended to 2034 if targets are met.
The Australian
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
AFL Round 11 SuperCoach scores, trade advice: Melbourne v Sydney, St Kilda v Gold Coast, Adelaide v West Coast
All aboard the Demons train? Melbourne's big SuperCoach names all put up huge numbers as the Dees registered one of their best wins since their 2021 flag against Sydney. But we can't say the same for the top picks at the Eagles. Here are the seven key takeaways from a big Sunday of round 11 action. RECAP ALL TODAY'S ACTION IN THE BLOG BELOW 1. DEES TURN BACK CLOCK Melbourne piled on 36 scoring shots against Sydney at the MCG, and all the Demons' big names racked up the SuperCoach points, led by another huge Max Gawn performance – 21 disposals, nine tackles, 35 hitouts, 17 contested possessions, 153 SuperCoach points – opposed to old teammate Brodie Grundy. Clayton Oliver bagged an equal season-high 130, Christian Petracca scored 125 in game 200, and they were just three of six Demons to crack the SuperCoach ton. Are they a SuperCoach-friendly side again? 2. LINE UP FOR THE KOZZIE PICKETT SHOW This guy could be the pick of the bunch – at least in terms of value. Starting the round valued at $458,400, Kysaiah Pickett lit up the MCG with five goals and 148 SuperCoach points, and it wasn't a one-off performance. That's three 100-plus scores in a row as he transitions to a genuine midfielder-forward in 2025 – so much so he's set to receive dual-position status in SuperCoach at the close of the round. If you like a POD, he's in 1 per cent of teams. Kysaiah Pickett kicked five goals against Sydney playing a mix of midfield and forward. Picture:3. EEK, EAGLES! SuperCoaches across the country are up in arms over the performances of three West Coast Eagles. Tom Gross, Matt Flynn and Ryan Maric harmed a lot of sides with showings well below their best against Adelaide. Gross avoided the starting sub role but it didn't help him much – he was subbed out of the match during the third quarter with only seven points – six below his break even – while Flynn and Maric had little impact. Flynn finished the game 46 and Maric 48. Yuck. 4. MILLS MRO WATCH Callum Mills is a bargain in the backline at just $357,200. Playing his first game since suffering a foot injury in February, Mills started strongly with seven touches in the first term before finishing with 17, a goal and 69 SuperCoach points playing mainly at half-back. He's an option for coaches looking for a cheap injury replacement heading into the mid-season byes, but we'll have to wait for the MRO verdict on a high bump that flattened Charlie Spargo. 5. SUPER SUB PUSHES HIS CASE It's best 18 scoring for the next five rounds, and with a host of premiums missing next week we'll need every bench player to stand up and be counted. Bubble boy Hugh Boxshall did his best to stake his claim after starting as the sub for St Kilda. He was activated just before three-quarter time but showed plenty when given a chance, racking up eight disposals, three tackles and one brilliant contested knock-on that set up a goal to Cooper Sharman. Give him a start next week, please Ross. Hugh Boxshall (right) flies for the ball with Matt Rowell. Picture:6. SINCLAIR MOVE WAS SUPERCOACH 101 Every year we see it – a reliable A-grader who drops in price before turning his form around and becoming one of the buys of the season. In 2025 Jack Sinclair is exhibit A. After hitting $642k in round 5 following a blistering start to the year, his price fell all the way to $529,300 in round 9. Savvy coaches jumped on and he has since reeled off scores of 124, 131 and 143 in successive weeks. On Sunday he had 29 disposals (24 effective), eight intercepts and nine score involvements, including a late goal. After entering the round with a Break Even of 66, he's heading back to $600k with a bullet. 7. ROB GOES BIG It's never too late to challenge your career best. Adelaide big man Reilly O'Brien gave his PB SuperCoach score a real shake with an impressive 161 against West Coast. O'Brien got his hands to 45 hitouts and had 18 disposals in the Crows' 66-point win. What he did offensively was matched with what he did defensively, as he reduced Eagles' duo Bailey Williams and Matt Flynn to little impact. O'Brien had been averaging over 100 in his past three weeks and poured fuel on that figure against the Eagles. He's one of the more expensive ruck options but has been delivering strongly.
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Melbourne ‘clearly' need plans to limit Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner
The challenger is undetermined but the challenge is as clear as day. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says the Demons must 'clearly' invest significant time into Sydney stars Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney this Sunday. The dynamic and destructive duo ran amok last week, pulling the Swans over a fast-starting Carlton at the SCG. While Goodwin remains unsure whether he will turn to a rejuvenated Clayton Oliver for the task at hand, he knows the Demons must nullify the skilful pair of Swans. 'We're going to work that out later today, but clearly they're got some guys who are having a huge impact on the game,' he said. 'They've also got some other damaging players in different positions, so we need to be really clear on our strategy. 'Clearly, we're going to have to have plans for (Isaac) Heeney and (Chad) Warner, they're two guys who are having a significant impact on the game. 'We've loved what (Oliver) has been able to do, he's invested in what the team is about, that's first and foremost, and he's growing his game off the back of that. 'We're going to sit down and work what's best in that space, but we're loving what Clayton is doing.' Fresh off a strong win over Brisbane, the Demons haven't rushed to re-employ spearhead Jacob van Rooyen. Van Rooyen had a shaky start to his third season and has struggled to work his way back into the senior side. Goodwin says van Rooyen remains in Melbourne's long-term vision and is urging a sense of patience towards his progression. 'He's a key forward that's developing his game,' he said. 'There's not too many dominant key forwards his age that are having as much impact as he's been able to have in his first 45 games of footy. 'He's going through a little patch at the moment where he's growing his game to a different level. 'We've got really huge belief he's going to be able to do that and take our footy club forward – he's going to be a Melbourne player for a long, long time. 'Everyone will look at the short term and where it is right now. He's a part of our long-term future and he's going to be a big part of it moving forward.'
