Demons attempt to put Oliver rumours to bed
Shayne Hope |
Melbourne have condemned “ridiculous and disappointing” rumours that star midfielder Clayton Oliver is missing AFL games for reasons other than injury.
Oliver has not played since round 10, sidelined by a hamstring injury and a five-day stretch in hospital because of an infected blister on his foot.
The stint out of action has sparked a series of rumours that Demons football boss Alan Richardson sought to address publicly before Friday night’s clash with Geelong.
The rumours suggest Oliver’s absence is due to issues with his behaviour and professionalism.
But Richardson said Oliver’s hamstring has been slower than expected to heal, the issue exacerbated by time spent lying flat in a hospital bed.
Oliver will have another scan on the troublesome hamstring on Friday and is no certainty to play in next week’s game against GWS.
“It’s probably not surprising when you have an infection interruption, you’re in bed for a week, you’re in a horizontal position … things tend to tighten up again,” Richardson told 3AW radio.
“So it’s going slower than what we’d like and we’ll get that looked at.
“It could be that he’s right to go next week but he might not be. We’ll just have to wait and see.
“But the other suggested reasons for him not playing are ridiculous and disappointing and bloody hard for Clayton and his family and friends to deal with.”
Richardson said it has been impossible for Oliver to ignore the ongoing rumours but said the 25-year-old “seems OK” mentally.
“I’ve spoken to him about it, he’s frustrated, he just wants to get out and play,” Richardson said.
“He sees that as the answer and he’s probably right. As I said, that might not happen as quickly as he’d like.
“We’re hoping that he’ll be right next week but he’s an absolute fanatic when it comes to preparing his body. He leaves no stone unturned.”
Oliver had missed just one game in almost six-and-a-half seasons before sustaining the hamstring injury during a loss to Port Adelaide in round 10.
AAP
