Clayton Oliver trade 'put to bed' in tense Demons press conference

Demons list manager Tim Lamb has put to bed a week of speculation Clayton Oliver would be on the move for 2025.

Oliver met with Geelong bosses having felt "unloved" at the Demons. Rumours of his exit from the club also swirled 12 months ago.

On Friday night, Interim president Brad Green tried to use his speech at the club's end-of-season dinner to end the rumours, but still they continued as the trade period opened on Monday.

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In a tense media conference on Monday, Lamb declared there was "no chance" Oliver would be anything other than a Demon in 2025, but admitted he had also spoken to Geelong representatives.

"Our position has never changed. We've never been trading Clayton, and we won't be," he said.

Earlier, Geelong list boss Andrew Mackie said the two parties had held discussions, but admitted they were "pretty brief".

"Clayton's manager was aware it might be in his best interests to have a chat, but it was pretty brief," he told Trade Radio.

"As far as we are concerned it was fleeting. We are respectable of Melbourne and their stance. We will put it to bed."

Oliver still has six of the seven years on his $8 million mega deal remaining. Lamb denied suggestions the club had been shopping him around, or that the man himself was unhappy.

"Clayton felt that, at some point, he wanted to have a conversation with Geelong ... I spoke to Geelong on the day, and said that Clayton wouldn't be going anywhere, and they were really happy with that," Lamb said.

"So, I think just because someone talks to another club … you'd be surprised how often that happens during the course of a year.

"Every club does it, so just because someone speaks to another club, doesn't mean that they're actually going. I think history shows that.

"Clayton's fine. He understands our position that he won't be traded, and he's fully committed to us for next year."

Lamb said it was "unfortunate" rumours of the trade had leaked to media. Skipper Max Gawn last week labelled the leaks "concerning".

Meanwhile, Oliver's premiership-winning teammate Alex Neal-Bullen will leave to join the Crows.