Nick Stevens appeared destined for Carlton in the pre-season draft as brinkmanship stymied deals between Port Adelaide, Collingwood and the Blues.

Port coach Mark Williams was dismayed at the prospect of losing his gun midfielder for nothing, with the Blues poised to pounce.

Port set a deadline for Collingwood and Carlton to lodge their best offers, but neither club was able to match the Power's demands, with players involved in the trades understood to be reluctant to go to new homes.

"As far as I'm concerned, Nick Stevens will go into the pre-season draft," Stevens' manager Max Stevens said.

Stevens also scotched talk his player was unwilling to move to the struggling Blues.

"If Nick Stevens is picked up by Carlton in the pre-season draft, he will be ecstatic," he said.

Carlton's pole position is based on the belief the Bulldogs, who have the top pick in the pre-season draft, will not be able to meet Stevens' salary demands, but the manager confirmed there will be talks with both clubs.

In other developments, as trade week belatedly heated up before Friday's deadline:

* Nathan Brown's move to Richmond was sealed, with the Western Bulldogs receiving draft pick six in exchange. The Dogs may yet receive an additional pick in a second arm of the deal that alternatively could see Ray Hall move to Geelong and Peter Street to the Bulldogs.

* Jade Rawlings' hopes of moving from Hawthorn to the Kangaroos remained in the balance, as three-way negotiations involving Essendon were being held up by the Bombers' demands in exchange for Mark Bolton.

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