The “special bond” between Clayton Oliver and Simon Goodwin has been a factor credited in the star re-signing with Melbourne.
Oliver, originally out of contract at the end of 2023, signed a new seven-year deal on Thursday morning to become the first player league-wide with a contract for 2030 or beyond.
The 24-year-old is currently leading the AFL Coaches’ Association champion player of the year votes and is coming off a third-place finish in last year’s Brownlow Medal.
Oliver’s deal comes after teammate Christian Petracca signed a seven-year contract last year, while Jack Viney inked a five-year deal in 2020.
Speaking about Oliver to SEN’s Dwayne’s World, Melbourne GM of football Alan Richardson said: “He is a really special person, he’s someone we’ve been able to work with alongside with really closely for some time.
“He’s such a consistent performer, if you’re going to try to get a player like that out of another footy club, you’re going to have to pay a lot of money and give a really big, long contract and we’re really comfortable doing that with great people and great players, like Christian, like Jack Viney and now Clayton.
“We’re comfortable with that.”
Richardson also revealed an insight into how Oliver was prepared to improve under Goodwin.
The midfielder was drafted out of the Murray Bushrangers with Pick 4 in the 2015 National Draft, however, as Richardson says, Goodwin originally had doubts over who they’d take with the pick.
“I hope Goody (Goodwin) is okay with me sharing, I’m not sure if Clarry (Oliver) will be…” Richardson joked.
“So Clarry as a young bloke from all reports was a little bit of a chubby player in the Under 18s, he was predominantly playing forward and shifted into the midfield late.
“When Goody, Tim Lamb (list manager) and Jason Taylor (national recruiting manager) went to meet him they were a little bit concerned, he weighed a little bit too much, according to the coach.
“He was challenged six weeks out from the draft that if he lost five kilos, then that showed commitment and then they’d take him.
“So the day before the draft they hooked up, Goody actually brought his own set of scales just to make sure Clarry hadn't doctored a set of scales. Clarry jumped on and he’d lost five and a half kilos.
“They’ve had a pretty special bond all the way through, I’ve got no doubt that the fact that Goody will be a big part of our plans for a long time has given Clayton comfort.”
The Demons’ attention now turns to out-of-contract duo Luke Jackson and Angus Brayshaw, with speculation both will depart the club at the end of the year.
Richardson said Oliver’s long-term deal gives the club “some real clarity on where we’re at” in the hope that Jackson and Brayshaw could re-sign.
However, he added that the Demons “plan for every scenario”.
Oliver plays Adelaide on Saturday, a club he’s recorded a combined 66 disposals against in his last two clashes.