ADELAIDE swingman Elliott Himmelberg has been left in Trade Period no man's land, with his attempt to join brother Harry at Greater Western Sydney denied.

GWS identified Himmelberg, who is contracted to the end of 2024, as a key back who could add to a strong backline already featuring Sam Taylor, Connor Idun and Jack Buckley. 

TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news

But as the clock ticked down to deadline on Wednesday night, the Crows were unwilling to trade him. 

The 25-year-old returns to Adelaide with an eye on free agency at the end of next season.

"He just had an opportunity to go and play with his brother. The Giants saw a role for him, and I think it was there," Himmelberg's manager David Trotter told Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio.

"But they (the Crows) see him as too valuable. They know he's a free agent next year and they might lose him, or he might have a really good year and set himself up as a defender and stay. 

"He would've liked to have moved, but he's more than happy to go back."

Himmelberg's path to the Giants was contingent on whether Adelaide could replace him with a key-position player from a rival.

TRADE TRACKER Get the details of every trade

The Crows had a crack at Mabior Chol, who chose Hawthorn, and Harrison Petty, who Melbourne refused to trade.

Because they failed on both, they ultimately denied Himmelberg's request.

South Australian Petty, a swingman himself, will be courted by the Crows again in 2024, with Adelaide list boss Justin Reid this week telling Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio: "We're aware of his strong desire to get home and he will want to at some stage."

Petty, 24, is contracted to Melbourne to the end of next season and Demons list manager Tim Lamb declared during the Trade Period that he was not on the table. 

Speculation also surrounded the future of Essendon veteran Dylan Shiel, but his manager Paul Connors said the midfielder never started clearing out his locker at Tullamarine. 

Dylan's been injured for the second half of the year, and I think that probably caused his name to come up," Connors said. 

"I think both parties had a little look at it, but nothing was really too serious, and we moved on."