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JAEGER O'Meara's desired move from Gold Coast to Hawthorn was on a knife's edge on Wednesday night as sources close to the deal suggested the odds of an agreement being struck were now extremely long.
On the night before Thursday's trade deadline, last-day trades that would send Tiger Brett Deledio to Greater Western Sydney and Bulldog Nathan Hrovat to North Melbourne looked almost certain to go ahead. Giant Caleb Marchbank also looked well placed to get to Carlton and North emerged as a late suitor for out-of-contract Collingwood defender Marley Williams.
However, the O'Meara negotiations moved further from a resolution on Wednesday and negotiations between the clubs and O'Meara's management were ongoing late in the evening.
Tensions between the parties involved in this year's most dramatic deal were high going into the final day of the NAB AFL Trade Period.
Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane unleashed on the Hawks for their "low-ball" offer of picks No.10 and No.48 on Wednesday morning, but Hawthorn has been unwilling to budge on that offer and could walk away from the deal after luring O'Meara with an offer believed to be worth up to $750,000 a season.
The Suns have threatened to "make a stand" with O'Meara if they don't receive what they deem to be a fair offer for the 22-year-old.
Gold Coast could force him to seek a new home in the NAB AFL Draft but then use one of their three selections ahead of Hawthorn's pick No.10 to re-draft him.
O'Meara's only other option would be to enter the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft, where Essendon would almost certainly swoop ahead of the Hawks with pick No.1.
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Meanwhile, Adelaide is still scrambling to salvage the trade period's other big-name deal, with its hopes of securing Bryce Gibbs from Carlton resting on its ability to come up with a sweetener on top of selection No.13 that satisfies the Blues.
Gibbs, 27, has three years remaining on his contract with Carlton, but wants to return to South Australia for family reasons after 10 years and 209 games at Ikon Park.
Although many industry observers consider pick No.13 a reasonable starting point for Gibbs, the Blues have been intransigent throughout the trade period after being caught by surprise when the Crows declared last Monday the South Australian wanted to go home.
With the Crows rejecting several names thrown up by the Blues, Carlton decided to wait for Adelaide to suggest a satisfactory deal and, as of Wednesday night, was believed to be insisting that the Crows add another first-round pick to their offer.
The continuing stalemate in the Gibbs talks meant there were moves afoot to separate Marchbank's trade to Carlton from that deal.
Marchbank and GWS had been waiting on the Blues' negotiations to send Gibbs to Adelaide, but with that standoff continuing into the final day of the trade period, other avenues for Marchbank to reach the Blues were being explored.
Carlton's acquisition of Geelong's future first-round pick in a trade for Zach Tuohy on Wednesday provided a breakthrough in those talks as GWS and the Blues met that night.
Sources close to the negotiations suggested Marchbank could now make his way to the Blues in a standalone deal for that future first-round pick.
Forward Jarrod Pickett, who is also seeking a move to the Blues, is likely, but not certain, to be included by GWS in that deal.
• Key dates for the NAB AFL Trade Period
Two-time All Australian Deledio should become a Giant on Thursday after GWS and Richmond closed in on a deal on Wednesday night.
Deledio had appeared almost certain to serve the final year of his existing contract at Punt Road in 2017 after a proposed trade to Geelong fell through, but the star Tiger attracted a flurry of late interest on the trade period's penultimate day.
The Western Bulldogs also made an aggressive bid for Deledio and Collingwood put in an 11th hour inquiry before 2004's No.1 draft pick settled on GWS as his preferred new home.
GWS will give up a late first-round pick for the 29-year-old, most likely the pick it is set to receive from Carlton for Marchbank.
The Giants have a three-year offer on the table for Deledio, and as part of the deal Richmond has agreed to pay a portion of his salary over that entire period.
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North looks set to make a late trade bid for Collingwood defender Williams.
Williams, 23, remains out of contract after a foot injury restricted him to 11 games with the Magpies in 2016.
North is keen to add some pace to its backline and late in the season tabled a four-year offer to Tuohy before the Carlton defender opted to pursue a trade to Geelong.
AFL.com.au understands the Roos have expressed interest in acquiring the speedy Williams and will try to broker a trade with Collingwood before the trade period closes at 2pm on Thursday.
Williams joined Collingwood as a rookie ahead of the 2012 season and has since played 68 games.
The West Australian enjoyed a career-best season in 2015, averaging 21.3 possessions in 20 games to finish seventh in Collingwood's best and fairest count. Williams also led the Pies in rebound 50s and running bounces, and was second in intercept possessions.
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Young Crow Jarryd Lyons is expected to get to the Gold Coast via a trade on Thursday for a late selection after requesting a move to the Suns on Wednesday, while Magpies ruckman Jarrod Witts will become a Sun too.
They are among a number of players sweating on their deal being done before Thursday's deadline.
Collingwood hopes to acquire Will Hoskin-Elliott for a future draft selection that is likely to be either a second or third-round pick and remains likely to get Melbourne defender Lynden Dunn for a late selection.
If Geelong doesn't accept a late pick for forward Shane Kersten, the Dockers will look to acquire the 23-year-old through the pre-season draft, where they hold pick No.3.
Former Collingwood forward Travis Cloke will finally make his way to the Western Bulldogs for a late pick, having had to wait for the past 10 days, while the Saints expect to secure former West Coast and Bulldogs midfielder Koby Stevens, also for a late pick.
Richmond remains hopeful of getting Josh Caddy in a trade for one of the club's second-round selections, which sit at No.24 and No.27.
The 24-year-old Geelong midfielder slipped behind Scott Selwood and Sam Menegola in the Cats' midfield this season to be on the fringe of selection late in the year, but has shown a capacity in his 95 games to play at a high level when at his best.
North is also to secure Western Bulldogs midfielder Hrovat on Thursday morning, having agreed to exchange their 2017 third and fourth-round picks for the Dogs' corresponding future picks.
The reigning premiers will be banking on finishing considerably higher up the ladder than North next year to maximise their return for 2012's No.21 draft pick.
Hrovat, 22, has played 30 games in four seasons at the Whitten Oval, including just four in a 2016 season plagued by shoulder and ankle injuries.
Contracted North Melbourne forward Aaron Black could yet find a new home, with one Victorian club considering making a late offer.
Black, who has played just three senior games in the two years since Jarrad Waite's arrival at the club, was seriously considered by Essendon before the Bombers gained a commitment from wantaway GWS forward James Stewart.
Port Adelaide and Gold Coast also expressed interest during the trade period but ultimately neither was in a position to pursue Black.
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Delisted Fremantle trio Matt de Boer, Clancee Pearce and Tendai Mzungu are unlikely to find new homes before Thursday's deadline, but could so in the delisted free agency period starting on Tuesday, November 1.
West Coast will secure ruck-forward Nathan Vardy on the final day of trading after the Geelong tall nominated the Eagles as his preferred club on Wednesday.
It is expected West Coast will offer a fourth-round selection (pick No.72) after settling on the 25-year-old as the best option to address their flagging ruck stocks following long-term injuries to Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett.
