O'Keefe left in limbo after deal stumbles

HE WAS the biggest name on the trade table, but after countless propositions and negotiations Ryan O’Keefe remains a Sydney Swan.

O’Keefe had looked for a return to Melbourne after spending nine years with the Swans.

His name had been associated with Hawthorn, Carlton, Essendon, North Melbourne and Collingwood but none of the Victorian sides could meet the Swans' demands.

The Hawks came closest, with pick 16 and a player on the table for O’Keefe and pick 30 before retracting the round-one offer.

Carlton had been linked to the 27-year-old but instead focussed its energies on Fremantle ruckman Robbie Warnock, who they secured in the dying hours of trade week.

O’Keefe now has to decide whether to enter into the pre-season draft or continue his career with the club he had all but left a week ago.

Sydney Swans player personnel manager Stuart Maxfield said the ball was well and truly in O’Keefe’s court.

"The first port of call is that Ryan needs to get back to us and say: 'I want to remain at the Sydney Swans' and then we can start talking about contracts,” Maxfield said.

"At the moment, I don't know [what's happening]. We haven't spoken to Ryan or his management since the two o'clock deadline, so again, it's really up to Ryan to make that decision whether he wants to remain with the Swans."

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