Star Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver has gone under the knife to repair a thumb injury sustained during the back half of the 2022 season.
Oliver saw his streak of 127 consecutive AFL appearances come to a close in July of this year after picking up a fracture in his right thumb during the Demons' Round 17 defeat to Geelong.
Though only missing a week of action by sitting out the Redlegs' win over Port Adelaide in the Top End, recent reports from The Herald Sun have stated the 25-year-old has been booked in for surgery to repair the ailing digit.
As stated by Jay Clark, the Demons have sent Oliver in for a routine clean-out of the joint in the hopes of having the hardnosed mid back on the park for day one of the new year.
While missing his side's fixture against the Power at Traeger Park, Oliver bit the bit throughout the remainder of Melbourne's 2022 season, averaging 28.6 disposals and 9.7 clearances between Round 19 and the second week of the finals.
The at-times fiery redhead added to his already stacked mantle last season, claiming his third All-Australian blazer and his fourth club championship, drawing him level with Demons royalty in Jim Stynes and Allan La Fontaine.
