Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver has suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury.
Journalist Roger Oldridge was at Demons training on Wednesday morning and reports that Oliver left the track early as his teammates tuned up for St Kilda this weekend.
Oldridge was asked on SEN Mornings if there had been a setback for the three-time All-Australian and four-time best and fairest.
“It certainly looks that way,” he replied.
“He came out away from the main group when they were out having some much needed goal kicking practice.
“Clayton came out onto the track about 10 minutes after that, chatted with the fitness staff and did some run-throughs.
“He got through about four of them, and on the fifth one he pulled up short and headed straight back inside.
“I don’t want to spoil the illusion, I’m not a doctor, I’m not even physiotherapist, but it didn’t look good.
“He looked disappointed from my vantage point which was 50-60 metres away. He just pulled up and went inside.
“We’ve got to await official word from the club, he may have gone in and it may have been tightness, and he may have come out. The cameras were only allowed in to shoot the warm-up.
“I spoke to the media manager from the club and they would put something out, I’d imagine, in the next few hours as to where he’s at.
“Maybe there’s a glimmer of hope for Demons fans.”
Oldridge spoke of Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin’s earlier press conference which indicated that Oliver had to get through today’s training in order to play against the Saints at Marvel Stadium this Saturday night.
“It was interesting because Simon Goodwin in the press conference just prior to training had said this was the last box ‘Clarry’ had to tick and hopefully he was pulling on that jumper on Saturday night,” he added.
“I would say that box probably hasn’t been ticked, but as to the extent from there, hopefully we’ll find out in the next few hours.”
Oliver has been sidelined since Round 10 with hamstring issues as well as an infected blister on his foot.
The news comes in the wake of foot surgery undergone by Bayley Fritsch.
The gun forward is expected to be sidelined for seven to eight weeks.