Rival set to land midfield superstar as Oliver makes call: AFL trade news

The GWS Giants look primed to land troubled star Clayton Oliver in this year's trade period, as Collingwood senior coach Craig McRae has candidly revealed the Magpies are facing difficulties in their recruitment pitch.

The Giants immediately flagged their interest in the midfielder following his explosive exit meeting with the Demons, where he was told by senior coach Steven King to explore his trade options, setting up a meeting with the 28-year-old.

The 2021 premiership player was seen on a boat with key Giants figures on Saturday, including senior coach Adam Kingsley, players Finn Callaghan and Lachie Ash, football boss Jason McCartney and CEO Dave Matthews.

Collingwood have been the only other main horse in the race for Oliver's talents, with GM of List and Talent Strategy Justin Leppitsch confirming on Monday that the Pies will be considering Oliver as the trade period unfolds.

"We know we have spots to reshape our midfield," Leppitsch said.

"We do have an aging midfield, we understand that. Clay's still got a few good years left in them as well.

"On the surface, it seems like a really good thing for us to pursue."

However, the gap appears to be widening between the two interested clubs, with Magpies coach McRae bluntly stating to 7 News' Mitch Cleary that Oliver hasn't had much contact with the Pies.

"I'm not privy to every conversation [Justin Leppitsch] is having," McRae said on Wednesday.

"It has been hard to get hold of Clayton though, I'll say that. He must be having a good time in Sydney."

According to News Corp, Oliver is expected to choose GWS over Collingwood and seek a move to New South Wales before next Wednesday's deadline.

The Giants believe Oliver can bolster their clearance game and overall midfield depth, which has lagged behind other contenders in recent seasons.

It was reported on Wednesday that midfielder Josh Kelly will miss the majority of the 2026 season following a significant surgery on his hip, further exacerbating the issue.

While Tom Green has been dominant, ironically being the only player to average at least 29 disposals and eight clearances per game since Clayton Oliver did in 2022, the Giants as a whole have been poor, ranking 13th in clearances this past season.

Therefore, adding Oliver into the mix would immediately boost this area of the oval in Western Sydney and provide Oliver with guaranteed inside midfield minutes that he desires.

GWS have demonstrated a capability of keeping players with poor off-field track records focused on their footy, notably providing Jake Stringer with an AFL lifeline last year. It resulted in a supreme bounce back season in 2025 for 'The Package', where he was a key figure in GWS' dominant second half of the season.

Perhaps a complete change of scenery could be of benefit for Oliver too, who will have high expectations placed on him by the stern voice of Kingsley.

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