AFL trades day three LIVE: Oliver’s brutal Demons swipe, Merrett’s hard task

Collingwood will soon have their chance to show Clayton Oliver he should join them over GWS as the midfielder nears Melbourne’s exit door.

The Magpies and Giants appear in a two-horse race to secure Oliver, who has been told to explore his options by the Demons and their new coach Steven King.

After meeting GWS coach Adam Kingsley and other staff and players on a boat last week, Oliver toured the Giants’ base on Tuesday and is set to meet with the Magpies in Sydney this week.

Asked by Seven on Tuesday about whether he liked the Giants’ facilities, Oliver said: “Love the facilities”.

The 28-year-old also took a swipe at his current club.

When asked what he liked about Collingwood, Oliver said: “What do I like about them? I like them better than Melbourne, that’s for sure.”

The 28-year-old, a four-time best-and-fairest winner, was pressed on how frustrating it was to be told to look elsewhere.

“Frustrating? Nah, it’s the business, mate, isn’t it?” he said.

AAP

Speaking of Zach Merrett, chief football writer Jake Niall has delved into the difficulty facing the Essendon captain to break free and land at a new club, having met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell last month.

Of the three bona fide, proven and contracted guns who want to be traded over the next week, Zach Merrett faces the highest degree of difficulty in navigating a landing at his preferred club.

Melbourne and Gold Coast are at least in conversations, even if the Suns are firm, to this point, on their unwillingness to use Bailey Humphrey in any Petracca exchange.

Carlton doesn’t have to trade Charlie Curnow, yet they are open to a deal; it is just a matter of finding the right price from either the Swans (more likely) or Geelong (long shot).

But Merrett’s prospects of having safe passage to Hawthorn are the most fraught, and he might well be forced into reconciliation with Essendon, who have taken an uncompromising stance and largely stuck to it ever since it emerged that Zach had met with Sam Mitchell.

Click here for the full analysis.

Hello and welcome to our rolling trade coverage.

My name is Melissa Coulter Ryan, and I’m in the chair for the start of our live coverage of day three of the AFL trade period.

There’s a long way to go as some of the biggest names in the AFL seek new homes - or have been told to find them. Stay tuned for the latest on the likes of Charlie Curnow, Zach Merrett, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver … and more. Thanks for joining us.

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