Essendon have knocked back a massive four-team trade, reports AFL.com.au's Mitch Cleary.

The deal also involved GWS, Port Adelaide and St Kilda and would have seen a number of players and draft picks moved around.

The exchange was centred around Jye Caldwell, Nick Hind and Orazio Fantasia.

Speaking on AFL Trade Radio, Cleary shed some light on the potential deal that was rebuffed by the Bombers.
"There was a four-way trade that’s just been thrown around in the last 20 minutes that the Essendon Football Club has just knocked back," Cleary told AFL Trade Radio.

"It involved Jye Caldwell, Nick Hind and Orazio Fantasia.

"TLA management have Fantasia and Caldwell, I think they were the brains behind this, and Essendon Football Club has proved to be a stumbling block.

"It involved Essendon getting Caldwell, pick 15, Nick Hind and 29 from Port Adelaide, GWS getting 7 and a future second-round pick, Port Adelaide getting Fantasia and St Kilda getting 52 for Hind and a few future picks thrown in there as well.

"That was the latest deal that was going to unlock Hind, Caldwell and Fantasia in the last 20 minutes and it’s been knocked on its head by Essendon."

The AFL trade period ends tonight at 7.30pm AEST.