AFL trade period, day five AS IT HAPPENED: Gun Swan's manager hits out amid Curnow chase; North Melbourne keen on Aleer

And we might sound the full-time siren there, folks.

We won't be running a live blog tomorrow or Sunday, but will be back in action on Monday.

Have a great weekend.

Goodbye.

Port Adelaide's list boss has reiterated that the club will not entertain a trade for gun midfielder Zak Butters and labelled media interest in the matter "unhealthy".

The gun midfielder is contracted with Port Adelaide for next season but multiple Victorian clubs are reportedly trying to snare him in this year's trade period.

The dual All-Australian will become a free agent at the end of next year.

Power list boss Jason Cripps hit out on AFL Trade Radio this afternoon.

Cats footy boss Andrew Mackie says three first-round draft picks was the best they could offer the Blues in their bid for Charlie Curnow.

"We wouldn't be doing it for everyone, but for this one we were willing to do it, and from our end it's as much as we could offer [for] a player of that age and where Charlie is," Mackie said on AFL Trade Radio.

"I understand Carlton's position — he's got four years to go on his contract, he's a star player. I get the whole situation. We just wanted to not muck around with it and put something that would try and get the player out of there. But clearly Carlton have a different view, and that's OK."

The draft selections offered were the pick 19 the Cats have in this year's draft, as well as their first-round 2026 and 2027 picks.

And it's of course not known at this stage exactly how valuable those future draft picks will be.

Considering Geelong's remarkable ability to repeatedly finish high on the ladder, the future first-rounders are unlikely to come early in the drafts.

"I get the sentiment around it," Mackie said.

"A future first ... It's a tough competition, so who knows?

"I understand it all. We can only do with what we have and should be clear on our intention that we tried to get a couple of players in."

Geelong will continue to pursue St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall.

The Cats offered the Saints their first-round draft selection, which is currently pick 19, but to no avail.

They then offered Carlton three first-round picks spread across the 2025, 2026 and 2027 drafts in a bid to lure star key forward Charlie Curnow, but that deal also fell flat.

Geelong and Sydney are both in the hunt for Curnow.

Cats footy boss Andrew Mackie said the club would continue pursuing Marshall.

"We've never been out of the pursuit; it's just what a deal would look like," Mackie told AFL Trade Radio.

"Clearly we had that pick 19 on the table for those four days. We want to bring Rowan in; it's just what a deal would look like.

"Given we did do the offer to Carlton, we're not exactly sure what the Saints may want … but willing to have that conversation."

Hello, folks. It's Zachary Gates jumping into the engine room for the run home this afternoon.

Brodie Mihocek was just on AFL Trade Radio to discuss his move from Collingwood to Melbourne, which took place today.

The Magpies gave the Demons the key forward and pick 71 in return for pick 61 and a 2026 third-round pick.

"It's definitely weird. My whole footy journey, it hasn't been an easy road, and I never would have thought at 32 I'd be getting another opportunity to explore new things," Mihocek said.

"I'll see what the Dees are gonna be like. It's exciting. Change is very hard sometimes, but I know it was the right move for me."

Speaking of the Charlie Curnow trade, should Geelong make another offer, Footy Classified's Damian Barrett believes the Blues have shown interest in Geelong forward Gryan Miers.

Barrett adds that Will Hayward continues to get mentioned from a Sydney perspective.

James Rowbottom has been floated as someone discussed by Sydney and Carlton who could unlock the Charlie Curnow trade.

However, his manager has spoken to Tom Morris, who says his client does not wish to leave Sydney.

After St Kilda's backflip, here's where things sit with Leek Aleer and clubs that have commented on him today.

Carlton: Not pursuing

GWS: Happy to have him back if he wants

Melbourne: Not pursuing

North Melbourne: Exploring the possibility

St Kilda: Pulled the rug on him

West Coast: Not pursuing

Western Bulldogs: Not pursuing

If you were betting, a return to the Giants feels most likely. Aleer remains in Barcelona on holiday.

Adelaide list boss Justin Reid has confirmed the club attempted to lure midfielder Ryley Sanders out of the Bulldogs, but they were unsuccessful in getting the Dogs to agree to moving him.

"We certainly asked the question, as we do of a lot of players," Reid said.

"Respectfully, he's a contracted player, so we asked the question, but that was shut down pretty quickly.

"We certainly respect that, so we moved on pretty quickly."

The Age's Jake Niall is reporting that Essendon's board has taken control of the Zach Merrett situation, saying they will have final say on whether a trade for the captain is approved.

New president and former Essendon star Andrew Welsh has seemingly taken the situation into his own hands in particular.