MELBOURNE midfielder Clayton Oliver has undergone minor surgery on his finger.

Oliver, who sustained the injury at training late last month, has been managing the concern over the past two weeks, with the planned procedure taking place on Friday afternoon.

Melbourne’s General Manager of AFL Performance Alan Richardson said the operation was the recommended course of action, to set Oliver up for the remainder of the AFL season.

"Clayton has been managing a finger issue over the past few weeks, and has today undergone a small procedure,” Richardson said.

“The required surgery will alleviate some pain Clayton has been experiencing, which will allow him to play and perform at his best for the rest of the season.

“With the extended break we have before our next match, and with everything going to plan, we expect Clayton not to miss any footy and to be available for our Round 7 clash against Richmond.”

Meanwhile, Christian Salem will miss at least the next four weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in the Demons’ loss to Brisbane on Thursday night.

Salem left the field in the early stages of the match, with scans today showing damage to his right hamstring.

“This is unfortunate for Christian, who is such an important player in our team”, Richardson said.

“Christian has had his fair share of injury battles, so while this is another frustrating setback for him, we know he will attack his rehab with the utmost professionalism. He is as resilient as they come.

“At this stage, we expect him to miss approximately four to six weeks, given the nature of the injury.”

Melbourne’s next match will be on Wednesday 24 April, taking on the Tigers in the annual ANZAC Day Eve blockbuster at the MCG.