RYAN O'Keefe could yet end up remaining a Swan after negotiations with Hawthorn stalled yesterday when the Hawks declined a Sydney request to swap O'Keefe for midfielder Jordan Lewis.

Having expressed an initial preference for a player-for-player swap, the Swans had been handed a list of seven or eight "untouchables" by Hawthorn, which yesterday discounted trading its first draft pick for O'Keefe.

But when the Swans nominated Lewis, who was not on the list of untouchables, the Hawks were quick to add him to that group and decline the deal.

Hawthorn said it would not trade pick 16 as part of a deal for O'Keefe, preferring its second draft pick (34) "and a talented player".

With discussions over the uncontracted O"Keefe having stagnated, O'Keefe, his management and Sydney are understood to be open to the idea of a reconciliation.

Financially, the Swans would offer a better deal than Hawthorn. The Hawks can offer him about $400,000 a season over three years, rather than the $450,000 the Sydney forward was paid in 2008.

The only other possibility for O'Keefe at this stage appears to be Carlton, which was open to the idea of swapping first-round picks with Sydney — handing the Swans pick 6 and possibly a player in return for O'Keefe and pick 12. Sydney and Carlton were yet to discuss this deal last night.

Carlton is understood to be better able to accommodate O'Keefe's financial terms than Hawthorn.

The Hawks had appeared close to securing O'Keefe on Wednesday before talks faltered yesterday — as did a number of lesser deals.

With the deadline closing at 2pm today, a flurry of activity is expected, but the upshot is expected to be that some players will be stranded at their original clubs.

Carlton has expressed interest in North Melbourne's Corey Jones should it be unable to negotiate on O'Keefe.

Carlton has been focused this week on negotiations with Fremantle for ruckman Robert Warnock. Mediation between the two clubs yesterday failed to broker a deal.

The Blues have sweetened their offer of pick 24 to Fremantle for Warnock, with a proposal to swap their fourth-round pick for Fremantle's fifth-round pick.

Fremantle has retained a hard line throughout, with Melbourne offering a superior draft pick (19).

The Dockers wanted a higher pick from Carlton. The club's board has encouraged the football department to take a strong stance in negotiations.

Meanwhile, Andrew Lovett is still interested in a move to Geelong, but the Cats are adamant that they are in no position to accommodate his $250,000 salary, and aren't convinced that they want Lovett to be part of a swap for Brent Prismall.

Prismall has told Geelong he wants it to deal exclusively with Essendon but, presuming Lovett is not part of the trade, the Cats have so far been unable to agree with Essendon.

Essendon has offered only pick 39 for Prismall, which Geelong has not accepted.

The future of Melbourne utility Brad Green remained uncertain last night. Green, who has been courted by clubs including Sydney and Collingwood — the former having been raised as part of a three-way deal for O'Keefe — was offered more than $1.1 million by the Demons over three years.

Farren Ray was another player stuck in limbo last night, with West Coast having offered the Bulldogs its third-round choice for Ray.

The Dogs had been seeking a second-round choice for the midfielder.

Geelong's Shannon Byrnes, who had flirted with leaving the Cats for a club that would offer more senior opportunities, has indicated he now wants to stick with Geelong in 2009.

North Melbourne's Daniel Harris, too, was facing the very real prospect of remaining with the club he had been expected to leave, with little interest expressed in the clearance specialist.

Collingwood remains hopeful of assisting Rhyce Shaw find a new club. However, like many others in the trade mix, Shaw has attracted little interest and his status as a contracted player has arguably made him harder to move.