AFTER a year of controversy and speculation that started in the 2023 trade period, Clayton Oliver played one of his best games of the season against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night, earning praise and a strong defence from Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin.

The football world was stunned when Oliver's name was thrown up in trade discussions, leading to off-season speculation that the four-time best and fairest winner's presence at the club was a distraction.

DEMONS v GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

And little has changed, despite Oliver going about his business racking up possessions, albeit at slightly lower numbers than the massive averages he has returned in recent years.

Asked about the midfielder's form after the loss to the Giants, Goodwin said Oliver was "working incredibly hard on his game" as the season progressed.

"He's getting closer to his best," the Melbourne coach said post-match.

"He's had those challenges throughout the pre-season, but he's continued to find ways to improve and he'll keep doing that - that's the kind of person he is."

Asked about the ongoing talk of Oliver's future, Goodwin was adamant it would be at the Demons.

"He's a Melbourne person through and through. He's not going anyway," he said.

"We love him, we love the work that he's done and we'll get his footy right. He's going to be here for a long time playing some great footy."

Asked about his side's form as it fights for a finals place, Goodwin was frank.

"We look at our good, and our best, and it's certainly good enough," he said.

"But then there's little inconsistencies within our game that aren't quite there and it's not only been in losses, but wins as well.

"We're playing a lot of tight games at the moment ... it's small margins at the moment and we've just got to do it for longer."

Being consistent throughout the game was also an issue for Greater Western Sydney after handing Melbourne a 27-point lead at quarter-time, but with the win under his belt Adam Kingsley could afford to be a little more relaxed.

"We gave them a fair start in the first quarter," the Giants coach said after the game.

"I just felt like we didn't turn up to play, we weren't really up for the fight. I thought we were a bit asleep so I was pretty stern with the messaging (at quarter-time)."

Kingsley praised Jesse Hogan after the full-forward kicked four goals to pass the 50-goal mark for the first time in his career and now sitting just three goals behind Coleman Medal leader Charlie Curnow.

"I thought he was competing for the most part and then, as it tends to, he plugs away and good things happen to the guys that work hard - and that's Jesse."

However, when asked about the second-quarter incident that saw a Harvey Thomas shot from inside the square ricochet off Hogan's knee, the coach could only laugh.

"He smothered one on the goal line, which I don't think I've ever seen before," Kingsley said.

"You can't do anything but laugh really - you've got a free player in the goalsquare and you kick it into him!"

Kingsley said he expects former skipper Stephen Coniglio to be available next week, with fellow midfielder Josh Kelly "another week away."