An exchange of other later draft picks may also be involved, with the Power likely to want a pick or picks back in return for giving up two valuable first round selections. The Suns have been chasing Port's pick 10 and a future first-round pick for their key forward, with the Power preferring to add a future second round selection to pick 10. Gold Coast had not wanted to give back a second-round selection to balance out the trade but that offer was likely to come and could allow the clubs to continue dealing directly on Dixon instead of involving the Saints. The Power-Saints proposal, which is in its very early stages, could potentially break the stalemate in both the Dixon and Carlisle deals, but the obvious stumbling block is that either or both of Essendon or Gold Coast reject the proposition. St Kilda and Essendon have been more rigorously examining trade alternatives since the Saints agreed to introduce pick 5 in some form in a Carlisle trade.

Their first offer - of pick 5 in return for Carlisle and picks 23 and 25 - was immediately rejected by the Bombers. North remains hopeful of yet being able to trade for James Aish, having made an strong financial offer for him to join the Kangaroos. North's offer is understood to be significantly higher than Collingwood's. Aish has friends at both Collingwood (Matthew Scharenberg) and North (Trent Dumont) and both players have been encouraging their friend to join their respective clubs. ​Aish's manager, Liam Pickering, has been firm throughout that his client will only go to Collingwood and reiterated that view to North at the weekend notwithstanding their improved contract offer. Unless North can persuade Aish to change his mind, one deal forwarded by Collingwood and Carlton would be for Collingwood to trade pick 26 to Carlton who would send Tom Bell to the Lions and Aish would move to Collingwood.

The Lions want an additional draft pick as part of any Aish trade in order to be able to secure Ryan Bastinac from North. Essentially, the Lions want to replace Aish with Bell and Bastinac. Collingwood is expected to lodge papers with the AFL on Monday morning to confirm the trade of Adam Treloar from GWS for a first-round pick this year and next year. Collingwood will also receive a second-round pick in return; there remains minor debate over which second-round pick that will be and whether it will be in this year's draft or next. Nathan Freeman is likely to be traded to St Kilda for a future second-round pick. Collingwood also wants another minor draft pick exchange involved. Richmond, meanwhile, has been forced to recommence its task of finding a deal to secure Chris Yarran from Carlton after the move of David Astbury to the Lions as part of a three-way trade fell over when the Lions cooled on him.