Power reject seven-pick, five-player trade that would have ended star’s ‘sleepless nights’

Despite fresh hope on Monday that Dan Houston would become a Collingwood player after months of speculation, there has been yet another twist in the 2024 trade period tale after a three-club trade fell apart.

As first reported by Nine’s Tom Morris and added to by AFL Media’s Callum Twomey, the dual All-Australian was at one stage highly likely to be one of five players on the move between Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Gold Coast in a mega trade.

However, as later revealed by Twomey on Monday night, Port Adelaide have since changed their stance on the deal — despite the proposal likely to net them three players, a first-round pick and two second-round picks in this year’s draft.

Port Adelaide won’t be proceeding with this deal. Discussions will be paused now – leaving Houston back in limbo and a whole lot more to do with two days to go. Expecting clubs will get back to work on Tuesday to see if any other variations work,” Twomey wrote on X.

On Tuesday morning, SEN reporter Sam Edmund shared his intel on the source of the unexpected backflip.

“I am hearing it was the board as much as anything at Port Adelaide,” Edmund told AFL Trade Radio.

“This had gone to board level, and the board might have said ‘no, this can’t be happening’.

“So, from a Port Adelaide perspective, (Jack) Lukosius in for a future first, (Joe) Richards in for 39, (Rory) Atkins for 58, and that meant that Dan Houston was being traded for 13, 29 and 36 — and the Power weren’t happy with that.”

Houston, who is currently contracted to the Power until the end of 2027, formally requested a trade back to his home state of Victoria late last month – with a media storm erupting after denying the prospect of such a move during the season.

But despite yet another roadblock amid negotiations, the 27-year-old should still be in black and white colours next season.

Below reads the full details of the proposed trade that Port Adelaide has since rejected.