Port Adelaide's late charge to convince Paddy Ryder to switch allegiance to the Power came as the 26-year-old and his family held talks in Brisbane late on Tuesday with Lions coach Justin Leppitsch and his football boss Dean Warren.

As Ryder's manager Paul Connors delayed a decision on Ryder's future after a Tuesday meeting with Essendon's CEO Xavier Campbell, it emerged that the player had elected to fly to Brisbane to meet Leppitsch before the Lions coach headed away on annual leave on Wednesday.

Essendon has continued to insist it would not trade Paddy Ryder, who is midway through a four-year contract. Credit:Getty Images

The talks between Connors and Campbell broke up with both parties agreeing to meet again next week. Both parties have cautiously agreed to a cooling-off period with the prevailing view that Ryder will leave.

The Lions now believe they have been overtaken by Port in the bid to secure Ryder, although Port, which takes on Hawthorn this Saturday in the preliminary final at the MCG,will make no firm offer to the player until its season has completed. Any player contract offer exceeding $300,000 annually or three years in term must be put before the club's board.