Kane Cornes believes Melbourne should be open to exploring trade options for star midfielder Clayton Oliver at season's end, as his 2024 form continues to be questioned.
Oliver was held to just 14 touches in his side's three-point win over North Melbourne on Saturday and has had a relatively quiet month on field.
The 2021 premiership midfielder has also been in the spotlight over the off-season for multiple reasons, including his early exit from the club's training camp at the end of 2023, following intense trade speculation as well as a brief hospital visit.
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Oliver's return to the senior side at the start of the year was fast tracked, due to the heartbreaking retirement of midfielder Angus Brayshaw, playing in the Demons' 22-point loss to Sydney in the opening round.
But now, Cornes has called on the Demons to look at offloading Oliver, if his form doesn't improve quickly.
"This contract is a gigantic issue for them (Melbourne). He's got six years left … $6 million left and he's performing like this. He's contracted until 2030," Cornes said on Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"That clearly was a serious error of list management.
"It's getting to a point where he needs to start performing better, otherwise you've got to lose your place in the side.
"He's become a bit of a liability for them, where the opposition are really hunting him."
However, Cornes isn't so sure that opposition clubs would be interested in Oliver, considering his troubled past.
"I think with the off-field stuff as well as the lack of on-field (performance), you'd have serious hesitations (recruiting Oliver)," he said.
As for his form, Matthew Lloyd holds serious concerns, especially considering the Demons are still navigating the loss of star midfielder Christian Petracca to season-ending internal injuries.
"There was no (Christian) Petracca, they needed a big game from Oliver, didn't get it, unfortunately. A lot fell onto Jack Viney and (Tom) Sparrow last night, who was very, very good," Lloyd said.
"His form is right off. I just feel like he didn't work hard through the tag of Will Phillips (North Melbourne).
"I didn't see the fight. I didn't see the scrap from Clayton Oliver. he gave away a 50-metre penalty through frustration at one point.
"He's a real concern."
The Demons climbed into eigthh on the ladder with their narrow win, sitting with an 8-6 record after 15 rounds.
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