James Aish's manager admits the Brisbane midfielder is a long way off achieving an AFL trade to Collingwood.
Following months of speculation about his future, Aish told the Lions on Thursday that he wants to leave the club after two seasons and go to the Magpies.
But Brisbane instead have offered him a new deal, saying the alternative is that Aish goes into the national or pre-season drafts.
Magpies football director Neil Balme has criticised Brisbane's hard-line stance, saying it does not make sense.
Aish's manager Liam Pickering said they would see how the trade period unfolds from Monday.
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"We'll have to work through all that. At the moment it's a long way off," Pickering told SEN.
"We've requested a trade at Brisbane and Collingwood will have to do a trade if it's to happen.
"If someone requests a trade and they're out of contract, you either do a trade or there's other options.
"He's keen to play in Melbourne and he's keen to play with Collingwood, so it's pretty straight forward, I would have thought."
Meanwhile, The Age has reported that Adelaide and Geelong are close to a deal on restricted free agent Patrick Dangerfield.
There is speculation Dangerfield will go to the Cats in a trade, without exercising his free-agent rights, in exchange for first and second-round draft picks.
Hawthorn youngster Jed Anderson apparently wants to leave the AFL premiers and could go to West Coast in a trade.
