Port Adelaide has been forced back to the drawing board in an effort to bring Jason Horne-Francis home after the AFL rejected the Power's plans to part with their future first and second-round selections to secure the vaunted teenager.
Under current league guidelines, clubs are able to trade multiple future selections for an array of packages, so long as their first-round selection remains off the table.
Given North Melbourne's steep, but fair, asking price for Horne-Francis, Port powerbrokers contacted league officials in an effort to circumvent protocol, however, as reported by News Corp, the Alberton club's audacious bid was struck down ahead of the trade floors re-opening on Monday.
This reaffirming of exchange laws now leaves the mooted four-club mega trade that would have seen multiple players and picks change hands on the precipice of collapse.
Along with Port Adelaide and North Melbourne, both West Coast and Greater Western Sydney were said to have been keen players in the multi-club merry-go-round.
The Alberton club will now be forced to recalibrate their packages for Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli, with both the Roos and Eagles said to be far from satisfied with the current bundles on offer.
In the case of Horne-Francis - the first selection of last year's draft - a package containing multiple first-round picks, as well as a player of worth from the Power is still said to be the target.
For West Coast, a second-round selection for Rioli's services remains the cost, with reports surfacing on Friday that if the price is not met, the 2018 premiership player could be walked to the pre-season draft.
The potential collapse of the highly-speculated trade package between these aforementioned clubs has left the Giants behind the eight ball, with their prospects of landing Pick 1 dwindling noticeably.
Though already armed with five top-20 selections, GWS had their hearts set on obtaining the opening pick in an effort to make Vic Country spearhead Aaron Cadman a Giant.
