ADELAIDE expects its deal for Carlton ruckman Sam Jacobs won't go through until the 11th hour of trade week.
Recruiting manager Matt Rendell said the Blues had baulked at the Crows' offer of their round-two NAB AFL Draft selection (33 overall).
However, the Crows are keen to deal with the Blues rather than force the homesick Jacobs, who has played just 17 games, into December's pre-season draft.
"He wants to come home, he's an Adelaide boy and he's pretty desperate to get home," Rendell told afl.com.au's Trade Week Radio.
"We're keen to have him back [because] at the same time we knew Jonathon Griffin also wanted to go back home to WA so we thought one in, one out in relation to the ruckmen there.
"We'd prefer to trade with Carlton. I don't think any club likes any player going to the pre-season [unknown].
"We don't want to force anyone to go to the pre-season draft. We'd be very happy to trade and hopefully something will get done, more likely Monday."
Adelaide general manager of football operations Phil Harper said Carlton had asked for draft selection No.14 when the Crows refused to part with developing key defender Daniel Talia.
"Our pick No.14 won't be on the table. I would suggest Carlton is probably upset a bit because they've put four years into a player. They've nurtured him along. He's starting to become a pretty good player and then he wants to come home," Harper said.
"We know exactly how they feel because we put five years into a player in Jon Griffin … and now he wants to go home.
"We're not happy about that, but we understand the compassionate reasons with Jon and I think Carlton understand a little bit about the reasons why Sam wants to come home too."
The possibility of a package deal involving Carlton's Andrew Walker and Jacobs has vanished with the Crows losing interest in the defender.
Adelaide reassessed its position after securing half-forward Richard Tambling from Richmond on Wednesday, and won't pursue any other players outside of Jacobs.
"Andrew has fallen by the wayside when we got we got Richard in. I would have loved them both but we can't fit them in the salary cap," Rendell said.
"It was always one or the other. We put both irons in the fire and then we chose the Tambling option.
"Richmond seemed more conducive to getting something done with Tambling than Carlton did with Walker, so we went down that path and we're happy to secure one of those two."
Harper said Fremantle was only prepared to offer a late draft pick for Griffin, who wants to return to Western Australia to be with his ill father.
"Jacobs and Griffin are similar players and one club is suggesting one player is a first-round draft pick, or pick No.14, and the other mob is suggesting the other is a third or fourth-round pick - pick 60," Harper said.
"So somewhere in between the truth lies."
Griffin has played 41 games for the Crows since his 2007 debut.
Follow our complete coverage of the 2010 AFL exchange period from October 5-11. No trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Monday, October 11.
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