GREATER Western Sydney is working its way into a position to pitch for star midfielder Ryan Griffen, who requested a trade out of the Western Bulldogs in the biggest twist yet of the NAB AFL Trade Period.

 

The Bulldogs were firm on Thursday that they would not indulge Griffen's request to leave, and they would hold the captain to his contract in 2015 before he is due to become a free agent.

 

The Giants, however, could be in a position to offer the Bulldogs an enticing deal for their skipper as discussions advance over key position player Kristian Jaksch, who is seeking a move to Carlton.

 

GWS midfielder Mark Whiley, who a number of clubs have been looking into as a trade option, has emerged as a key component of the Blues' pitch to land Jaksch.

 

It is understood the Giants could send both Whiley and Jaksch to the Blues in a deal that would see Carlton swap its pick No.7 for the Giants' pick No.19, which they received from Hawthorn on Thursday in a deal for midfielder Jono O'Rourke.

 

While little known after 12 games in three seasons with the Giants, Whiley enjoyed a stellar NEAFL season, finishing fifth in the league MVP award.

 

The big-bodied 21-year-old, who was a NSW-ACT zone selection for GWS in 2011, couldn't break into the Giants' senior line-up until round 21 this year.

 

The Giants would then hold picks No.4 and No.7, which would give them a good basis to deal with the Western Bulldogs for Griffen.

 

In an extraordinary development on Thursday afternoon, Griffen became the fourth contracted player to request a trade from his club, joining Collingwood's Dayne Beams, Geelong's Allen Christensen and Essendon's Paddy Ryder.

 

In what is shaping up as a fruitful exchange period for the Giants, Brisbane Lions defender Joel Patfull should find his way to the club shortly with an in-principle agreement reached.

 

The proposed deal would see Patfull, a two-time best and fairest winner, head to the Giants in exchange for pick No.21.

 

That end-of-first-round pick would strengthen the Lions' ability to deal for Christensen, who has requested a trade from the Cats to the Lions.  

 

While he appears set on joining the Lions, Christensen is being monitored by West Coast, which is chasing speed for its midfield.

 

Melbourne continues to work with Collingwood and Geelong on a three-way deal that would send Heritier Lumumba to the Demons, Travis Varcoe to the Pies and Mitch Clark to the Cats.

 

It now seems a race in two for Varcoe, with Collingwood and North Melbourne vying for the Geelong speedster's signature.

 

This is one of a number of potential trades being held up by the stalled talks between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions over Beams.

 

As we edge closer to the Magpies' self-imposed deadline of 5pm on Friday, the parties remain some way apart.

With the Lions set to gain pick No.21 from GWS in the soon-to-be-confirmed Patfull trade, it is understood Collingwood indicated it might be prepared to trade Beams if the Lions added that pick to its earlier offer of picks No.5 and 25.

 

The Lions quickly ruled that out, mindful that doing so would severely weaken their hand as they attempt to broker a trade for Christensen.

 

The Beams trade remains Brisbane's top priority and, pending the outcome of those talks, the Lions would be prepared to part with either pick No.21 or 25 for Christensen. It is unclear whether either pick would satisfy the Cats.

 

Although the Pies maintain that the Lions' existing offer for Beams is inadequate, the latter pick on offer, No.25, would be handy as the Pies attempt to satisfy North Melbourne's demands for Levi Greenwood.

The Roos would prefer a draft pick for the 25-year-old midfielder, but the Pies' second-round pick, No.30, is believed to fall a little too late to satisfy North.

 

If the Pies do not acquire an earlier second-round pick in the Beams trade, they might have to source one via another trade.

Adam Cooney appears set to depart the Whitten Oval despite Carlton ruling out a trade on Thursday that would have sent the 2008 Brownlow medallist and Bulldogs teammate Liam Jones to the Blues in exchange for their second-round pick, No.28.

 

It is understood at least one other opposition club is interested in Cooney, who is open to leaving the Bulldogs after playing 219 games in 11 seasons at the Kennel.

The Blues remain determined to secure key forward Jones once they have finalised a deal for Jaksch, with any deal with the Dogs like to centre around Carlton's third-round pick, No.46.

 

Richmond is still waiting on former Essendon player Jason Winderlich to make a decision as to whether he wants to pursue a move to the Tigers.

 

The Tigers are interested in acquiring Winderlich if he can join the club as a free agent but are giving the 29-year-old time and space to make a decision as to which way he goes.

 

Essendon has stepped up efforts in recent days to retain Winderlich who announced he had retired in August with a year remaining on his contract.