Collingwood have made a play for Hawthorn's highly regarded list manager Graham Wright in its search for a new head of football.
Magpies chief Gary Pert approached the contracted Wright, who had previously been head-hunted by Carlton, as the Pies look to install their fifth football boss in three years following the suspension and ultimate resignation of Graeme Allan.
However, Wright, who is tied to the Hawks until the end of 2018, knocked back the approach.
Wright's rejection of the Magpies' offer has led to renewed speculation that Pert could take on the role. In a potential role change which has the support of some key club powerbrokers, Pert could potentially mentor a younger football aspirant before handing over the operational reins.
Collingwood are also understood to have entertained the prospect of poaching Geelong's head of football Steve Hocking, who has again assured the Cats he would not be leaving the club.
Hocking was also approached several months ago by Richmond to take over the head of football role later filled by Neil Balme. He, too, is contracted to his club.
The Magpies have also been linked to to North Melbourne's head of football Geoff Walsh, who has moved to vacate that position for a part-time role with the Kangaroos. However Walsh, despite his good relationship with coach Nathan Buckley, departed the club in some acrimony in 2013, which could prove an obstacle to his return.
The football replacement at Collingwood looms as a crucial resource given that Buckley remains under significant pressure heading into his final contracted year at the club.
President Eddie McGuire and Pert have been under fire for moving to install Allan into the role which was held by Balme despite assuring staff that Allan had come to the club to run women's football and netball.
Even Buckley was unaware that Allan was taking Balme's role, a role in which he served for just two months. The club has indicated it felt moved to make a change, having run out of patience after missing finals for the third successive season.
Allan ran the Magpies' trade period and oversaw some staff changes, including the removal of the Leading Teams program, before being suspended by the AFL for his role in the Lachie Whitfield affair.
Wright is a Collingwood 200-gamer who starred in the club's 1990 premiership season. Having worked in recruitment and list management for more than a decade he took over the list boss role at Hawthorn in 2011 from Chris Pelchen.
His prize recruits from other clubs include Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson, David Hale and Jack Gunston.