IT WAS set to be the AFL's biggest ever trade, but was stopped in its tracks.

The mega deal that involved six clubs that was in the works to deliver Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli to Port Adelaide, have Greater Western Sydney take the No.1 pick, see West Coast boost its draft hand, give North Melbourne three first-round selections and, by extension, see Jack Gunston join Brisbane hit a snag through an AFL ruling on Saturday.

The Power had applied to be permitted to trade both its future first and second-round selections to make the deal happen.

NO DEAL Mega trade hits a snag after AFL ruling

Under League rules, clubs can trade out a future first-round draft selection but if they do that, must retain the rest of their future selections for that draft. If they trade out a second, third or fourth-round future pick, they must hold their first-rounder for that year.

The League put in the proviso as a risk management move so that clubs can't trade away their full hand of selections, with the Power looking to see if a provision was available. However on Saturday, the AFL decided it wouldn't allow it, delivering a blow to the deal that involved a third of the AFL's 18 clubs.

It sent clubs back to the drawing board for their respective priorities having had the mix sewn up if the Power were cleared to trade their future second-round pick.

AFL.com.au can reveal the deal would have seen North Melbourne end up with picks No.2, 3, 33, 53 and a future first-round pick for losing Horne-Francis to Port Adelaide and for shifting down the draft order from pick one to three.

INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER Your club's picks as they stand

The Giants would have moved up to secure the No.1 spot, while picks No.8 and 12 would have headed to West Coast, who would have split the No.2 selection and also picked up the future second-round selection from Port, as well as a future third-round selection tied to Fremantle via North Melbourne. It would also have given the Eagles four picks inside the top 26 this year as they hit the draft.

Port would have secured main targets Horne-Francis and Rioli as well as pick No.36, which would have come from Brisbane, who had an involvement in the proposed deal to execute their trade for Gunston.

The Lions would have sent second-round pick No.36 into the whirlpool of selections and spun out of the deal with No.40 and 43. Although the Gunston trade was not directly a part of the agreed mix, it would have then seen the Lions likely send pick No.40 to the Hawks for Gunston, who will join Brisbane as a trade instead of free agency as the club didn't want to dilute its free agency compensation pick for losing Dan McStay.

Geelong was not involved in the talks, although Esava Ratugolea remains a trade target for the Power.

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Unlike the AFL's rule for using at least two first-round picks over a rolling four-year period, which has room for AFL exemptions, there was no wiggle room for a provision for the trading of future first and second-round selections, so the Power was unable to move both picks, and the deal fell through.

There was a feeling amongst clubs that due to Port chasing a player of Horne-Francis' age only one year into the system that it could be approved, as well as the club's recent intakes of draftees.

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Port has had seven first-round picks in the past four years, behind only GWS (nine) and Gold Coast (eight). In that period as well, the Power have drafted 15 players aged 18, behind North Melbourne and Geelong, who are equal first at 17, with St Kilda fewest in that time at nine.

Whilst it will not proceed in the previous form, all clubs involved are expected to work through their targets that were linked together in the mega deal ahead of Wednesday night's trade deadline.

PROPOSED MEGA DEAL DETAILS

NORTH MELBOURNE
Trade out: Jason Horne-Francis, pick No.1, 2023 third-round pick (tied to Fremantle)
Trade in: Picks No.2, 3, 33, 53, 2023 future first-round pick (tied to Port Adelaide)

PORT ADELAIDE
Trade out: Picks No.8, 33, 43, 53, 2023 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick
Trade in: Jason Horne-Francis, Junior Rioli, pick No.36

WEST COAST
Trade out: Junior Rioli, picks No.2, 40
Trade in: Picks No.8, 12, 2023 second-round pick (tied to Port Adelaide), 2023 third-round pick (tied to Fremantle)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Trade out: Picks No.3, 12
Trade in: Pick No.1
 
BRISBANE
Trade out: Pick No.36
Trade in: Jack Gunston, pick No.43

HAWTHORN
Trade out: Jack Gunston
Trade in: Pick No.40