PADDY Ryder’s pathway to Port Adelaide will drag to the final hours of AFL trade talks on Thursday — or be forced by a league grievance committee hearing if there is no trade.

Essendon yesterday did not tear up Ryder’s contract to allow him to become a delisted free agent. This was predictable considering the AFL-supplied compensation would have been draft pick No. 21 — worse than the first-round call of No. 17 the Power has put on the table.

Free agency closed yesterday afternoon, leaving the Power and Bombers to find a trade with draft picks or players before Thursday’s deadline.

Essendon’s longstanding reputation as a difficult negotiator — and the rejection of trade deals that involved a third party — suggest the Ryder deal will drag to the last hours of the trade period.

The Bombers yesterday returned to talks with the Power again asking for a top-line player. This time it was 19-year-old midfielder Ollie Wines, a request quickly cast aside by Port Adelaide.

Essendon has no interest in the so-called “mid-range” players at Alberton.

Essendon also has rejected two third-party deals that would have allowed Ryder to move to Port Adelaide while the Bombers collected multiple draft picks.

“We’ll just keep trying,” Power list manager Jason Cripps said last night. “Our No. 17 draft pick is still there for Essendon.”

Ryder is adamant he will seek a release to Port through the grievance hearings if there is no trade. This would leave Essendon empty-handed if the ruckman-forward is classed a delisted free agent.

Port’s talks with Essendon yesterday were further complicated by the Bombers being distracted by the chase with North Melbourne for Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney, who is being cast into the trade talks by the Western Bulldogs.

Essendon did claim a free agent at the weekend with St Kilda defender James Gwilt — who was delisted by the Saints — moving to Windy Hill while veteran Dustin Fletcher agreed to continue a league career than began in 1993. He will turn 40 in May.

The Power’s other trade target — contracted Gold Coast ruckman Daniel Gorringe — will cost Port Adelaide an early second-round draft pick. But the Power’s second-round draft call is late, at No. 37 — a point in next month’s national draft when the Suns may be finished after using draft picks Nos. 8, 15 and 29.

This may change if Gold Coast sees merit in working Port and Gorringe into a trade for Hawthorn’s 22-year-old midfielder Mitch Hallahan.

While the Power has been strategic in its trade options, the market has tested Port Adelaide’s interest in trading midfielder Andrew Moore and defender Cam O’Shea who has — as expected — drawn the interest of St Kilda coach and former Power coaching director Alan Richardson.

Port says it will not entertain trading Moore.

Free agency closed with three players not offered the chance to change clubs and without contracts at their current clubs — Tom Logan (Port Adelaide), Leroy Jetta (Essendon) and Clint Jones (St Kilda).