Carlton hasn’t given up the chase for GWS forward Devon Smith

CARLTON isn’t going to give up on snatching Giants forward Devon Smith from Essendon’s grasp and is waiting for Adelaide to make late play for Bryce Gibbs.

Devon Smith wants to be traded to Essendon but Carlton is ready to pounce if a deal isn’t done. Picture: AAP

CARLTON has not given up on swooping on Greater ­Western Sydney’s Devon Smith as it waits for Adelaide to come for Bryce Gibbs late in the trade period.

The Blues missed out on Brisbane Lions free agent Tom Rockliff, who became a Port Adelaide player.

But they continue to chase midfielders and, along with St Kilda, will monitor Essendon’s pursuit of Smith.

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The Dons also want Western Bulldog Jake Stringer and Gold Coast’s Adam Saad, complicating any deal.

Carlton will pick up GWS midfielder Matthew Kennedy for a second or third-round ­selection.

The Dogs’ demand for Essendon’s pick 11 for Stringer, with little on the way back, means those dealings will drag into next week.

Then Carlton might again try to steal Smith from the Dons’ clutches.

Carlton still hopes it can strike a deal for GWS’ Devon Smith. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Despite statements from Carlton football manager ­Andrew McKay and Adelaide counterpart Brett Burton that Gibbs will stay put at Princes Park, the Blues believe the Crows will ask about him again.

If the Crows can pick up Brisbane Lions’ selection 18 for Charlie Cameron and Melbourne’s No.10 for Jake Lever, they will have three top-20 picks. They already have No.16.

It means they could move for Gibbs, who wants to return to South Australia but is losing hope it can happen.

Carlton might relent on Gibbs, 28, if it can be handed picks it could trade for an ­established player.

St Kilda is a strong chance to secure key defender Adam Tomlinson, who is yet to officially tell GWS he wants out.

But the Saints hope he will ask for a trade back to Victoria despite being re-signed until 2019.

The Giants might agree because of their salary cap pressure and give St Kilda a tall defender after the retirement of Sean Dempster.

Carlton expects Adelaide to come for Bryce Gibbs late in the trade period. Picture: Michael Klein

Saints chief operating officer Ameet Bains said they were interested in Tomlinson but GWS could block the move.

Bains defended the Saints’ lack of action in the trade ­period so far and said, with picks seven and eight, they were keen to move up the draft order.

“It’s not a question of going out there and trying to get some big name for the sake of it,’’ he said.

“Our fans would be really disappointed if we were that rash with our approach.”

Essendon’s Jackson Merrett and Ben Howlett will wait until the trade period ends as they try to secure one-year deals.

Merrett, who did not play a senior game this year, would likely be delisted if the Dons can land their trio of targets.

Howlett, who will turn 29 this month, played only seven games and also might be ­pushed out by the midfield squeeze.