Carlton have met with young Denver Grainger-Barras as they consider making a move for the Hawthorn defender.
Grainger-Barras, 22, remains out of contract for 2025 and in limbo as the trade period enters its final days.
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Grainger-Barras met with the Blues on Friday, but any move would come after the trade period as a rookie or SSP signing.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Carlton, who have already signed Nick Haynes a free agent, are looking at more defensive options after delisting Caleb Marchbank.
Taken with pick No.6 in the 2020 national draft, Grainger-Barras has struggled to nail down a spot in the Hawks team.
He has managed just 28 AFL games for the club and was even shifted forward at times in 2023.
He failed to play a senior game this year and will likely fall further down the pecking order come next year.
The Hawks have already signed free agent Josh Battle and are still working on a deal to bring West Coast defender Tom Barrass to the club.
Hawthorn on Friday sprung the first surprise of the trade period with a draft pick swap that could have major ramifications.
After an uneventful opening five days, the trade period had a major shakeup on Friday when Hawthorn gave their first-round No.14 draft selection in return for Carlton’s 2025 first and second-round picks.
The No.14 pick was expected to feature in Hawthorn’s efforts to recruit West Coast defender Barrass.
The thinking had been that when that deal was struck, the Eagles would then use the No.14 selection to bring across Liam Baker from Richmond.
But it now gives Carlton extra leverage as they try to lure two-time All-Australian defender Dan Houston from Port Adelaide. The Blues already have the No.12 pick.
It also might mean West Coast are out of the running for Baker and it becomes more complicated for Barras to join Hawthorn.
Houston, Barrass and Baker are among several players who are waiting to learn their fates during the trade period.
Apart from the Hawthorn-Carlton bombshell, Brisbane traded their first-round draft selection at No.20 to Richmond for several second and third-round picks.
The Blues and Lions also struck a separate deal involving the swap of second and fourth-round picks in this year’s draft.
Otherwise it’s been all negotiations, with Houston’s future in particular proving tough to determine as he seeks a move from Port Adelaide back to his native Melbourne.
Collingwood and Carlton are the two main players in the Houston talks, but Magpies list manager Justin Leppitsch said on Friday they are in a holding pattern and will resume negotiations next week.
The trade period ends on Wednesday night, with North Melbourne also confident they are players in the Houston talks.
– With AAP