Wantaway Western Bulldogs ruckman Jordon Sweet could remain at the Kennel beyond this year, with the unsigned tall viewed to be at the back of the queue among Port Adelaide's list of trade targets.
Sweet is one of three players who have requested a trade to Alberton this off-season, with Geelong's Esava Ratugolea and Essendon's Brandon Zerk-Thatcher also wanting to head to South Australia.
The Power are still needing to work through negotiations with the Cats and Bombers, with both deals unlikely to be resolved prior to the weekend given the former's high price on Ratugolea and the intricacies of a move that could see two players involved in the Zerk-Thatcher deal, as Port wingman Xavier Duursma seeks a move to Essendon.
Port Adelaide are also keen to acquire contracted Richmond ruckman Ivan Soldo, with the Tigers premiership player and Sweet both potentially heading west to battle for the first-string ruck duties under Ken Hinkley.
Amid the interest in Soldo and the ongoing negotiations for Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher, Sweet may have to bide his time before a deal is finalised between the Power and Bulldogs, who were keen to retain the 25-year-old.
That desire could come to fruition if Sweet's move doesn't evolve over the next five days, given Port Adelaide could prioritise their other trade moves.
According to AFL.com.au reporter Damian Barrett, there is a live chance Sweet could remain a Bulldog given the other factors still at hand for the Power prior to Wednesday's deadline.
"It's going to drag out, this one," Barrett told Trade Radio of the Sweet situation on Thursday.
"I believe there's an awareness from Jordon Sweet and those around him that he's going to be the last of this trio to be done.
"Also a part of this backdrop is the known interest in Ivan Soldo, who is contracted at Richmond and is unlikely to go, it must be said.
"He is aware of the interest in Port Adelaide and there's a nice offer for Soldo to go to Port Adelaide. (Richmond coach) Adem Yze doesn't want this conversation around Ivan Soldo.
"But it has filtered down to Jordon Sweet, knowing that he's behind Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher in the order of the way these deals will be done.
"There is a possibility that, weirdly enough, the Dogs may be able to retain someone they didn't want to lose in Jordon Sweet."
The Bulldogs would ideally extend Sweet's tenure into 2024, and potentially beyond, given his dominance at VFL level and ability to step up in the absence of ruckman Tim English if required.
English played a full season this year and would earn All-Australian honours, while recruit Rory Lobb would be his supporting option as a ruck-forward hybrid to leave Sweet to spend his entire 2023 campaign at the state league level.
If English was to get injured, the Dogs could look to Sweet to carry the ruck workload. If he's traded on this year though, they could be lacking for depth options outside of Lobb.
The Dogs are likely to look to the ruck market via delisted free agency or the draft if Sweet's desire to move back to his home state of South Australia is met.