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PADDY Ryder has been traded from Essendon to Port Adelaide just hours before Thursday’s NAB AFL Trade Period deadline.
Port Adelaide handed over picks 17 and 37 to acquire the 26-year-old ruckman, who wanted to leave the club because of the emotional impact of the supplements scandal that has engulfed the Bombers since the start of 2013.
Pick 37 will now be on-traded to the Western Bulldogs in return for Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney.
The agreement saves Ryder from a trip to the AFL grievance tribunal to allege a breach of contract to ensure a move to Port Adelaide as a free agent.
That prospect hung over discussions but it was a situation all parties wanted to avoid.
"We would have liked a little bit more, but the way it was all set up, Paddy wanted to get to Port Adelaide and that was the best deal we could get for him," Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said as the Bombers left Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
"(Greater Western Sydney) came in late and showed a lot of interest, but he had already made up his mind he was only going in one direction and that was to Port Adelaide."
The negotiations around Ryder were so drawn out they led to a mediation session being held at the AFL on the day before the trade deadline.
These talks created a breakthrough eventually and the deal was done by midday on Friday.
Essendon initially rebuffed Port Adelaide's offer of pick 17, its first round pick.
It wanted a star player such as Port Adelaide youngster Ollie Wines or Chad Wingard to be made part of the deal.
However Port Adelaide dismissed that prospect out of hand. AFL.com.au understands other names were raised including Aaron Young, Cam O'Shea and Ben Newton.
Eventually on Wednesday Port Adelaide added its second-round draft pick to the deal, to make the package picks 17 and 37.
This deal will give Essendon three picks inside the first two rounds.
Ryder played 170 games with the Bombers but made it clear in an interview with the Herald Sun on Saturday the reasons why he wanted a fresh start.
The ruckman-forward is a perfect fit for Port Adelaide as it relied on one ruckman, Matthew Lobbe, during 2014.