‘Bargain of the decade’: Dees star makes trade call as details of giant ‘free hit’ revealed

The Giants could be set to land “the biggest bargain of the last 10 years” after Clayton Oliver nominated a move to GWS.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Oliver was set to opt for Western Sydney over Collingwood as his new home.

His manager Nick Gieschen confirmed on Thursday night Oliver had nominated a move to the Giants as they’ll now need to strike a deal with Melbourne.

Watch every match of the 2025 NAB AFL Women’s Season LIVE ad-break free during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

“Clayton Oliver has confirmed his desire to be traded to GWS. GWS will now work with Melbourne to strike a deal between the clubs,” Gieschen said in a statement to AFL Media’s Callum Twomey.

Nine’s Tom Morris said the Giants “moved swiftly” on Oliver as soon as he was advised to find a new home.

GWS officials were “impressed” by Oliver and the midfielder was “won over by Adam Kingsley and company in the space of 48 hours.”

Earlier on Thursday night, the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark revealed the draft pick that the deal is likely to revolve around, pending any shock backflip.

“He will be a discount pickup for the Giants,” began Clark on Fox Footy’s Trading Day on Thursday night.

“No official trade request yet, we know he’s weighing up between the Giants and Collingwood, (but) almost certainly this will be GWS. It could come in as early as tomorrow.

“What’s the deal for Clayton Oliver going to be? I can tell you it could be for as little as a future third-round draft pick.”

The 28-year-old, who’s contracted for another five seasons at the Demons, has played at least 21 games in each of the past two seasons but has been down on form from the 2021-23 stretch when he was one of the competition’s most dominant midfielders.

“We know Oliver was one of the best midfielders in the competition in 2021, 2022. Clearly, he’s not the player that he was, but this is a free hit (for the Giants),” Clark added.

“For a future third-round pick and considering the Demons are going to pick up as much as half of his salary ... so, if this is (something like) Pick 50, Pick 55, this is a free swing at the stumps.”

Former Hawthorn sharpshooter forward Ben Dixon was just as bullish on the Oliver move from a Giants perspective, making a bold proclamation.

“I think this could be the biggest bargain of the last 10 years,” Dixon said on Fox Footy.

“To be fair, a huge contract, they (the Dees) wear half and the Giants wear half — I still think the fire’s burning in his belly.

“At Melbourne, it was time to go. I just think a new start — we’ve seen so many players move clubs and be able to impact — I think what the Giants have done with (recycled) players coming from another club, I think it’s been huge. (Jake) Stringer, the list goes on.”

Fellow Herald Sun journalist Glenn McFarlane chimed in with a thought from a Melbourne viewpoint — with the Demons previously turning down Oliver offers from Adelaide in 2023 and Geelong last year.

“And if you’re a Melbourne supporter, you’re sitting back thinking ‘why didn’t we take the Adelaide offer a couple of years ago? Why didn’t we take the Geelong offer?’ You’re thinking ‘why did we wait this long?’” he said.

Oliver had been told by the Dees he was free to explore his options this year despite being under contract, and Fox Sports News reporter David Zita believes it’s those testy circumstances which could act as a “firestarter” to a career revival.

“It’s a good little firestarter for him if he’s lacking motivation,” he said on Trading Day.

“For a club that’s effectively just kicked him out of the club, the way they’ve gone about it — yes, they respect him, he’s a champion of the football club, but they’re going to pay a lot of his money for him to play elsewhere.

“That would have been a pretty bitter pill to swallow. It seems like he’s taken it a bit personally as well.”

Dixon doubled down, speaking glowingly of the culture at the Giants under coach Adam Kingsley.

“I can tell you right now, the standards and the culture at the Giants is as high as you’ll get. Adam Kingsley has got a really well-oiled machine running there,” he said.

“We said Stringer before — a really prime example, getting your players right, you work hard, no excuses, new environment up in Sydney, you’re away from all the spotlight of Melbourne. I think it could be the bargain of the last 10 years.”

Click here to read article