Greater Western Sydney are expected to announce Leon Cameron as an assistant coach on Thursday in a further blow for AFL strugglers Port Adelaide.

Cameron met with the Giants on Wednesday as the Power announced they would not match Fremantle’s restricted free agency offer for 2006 Rising Star winner Danyle Pearce.

Port also have until Thursday afternoon to decide whether to match Richmond’s offer for key defender Troy Chaplin, another restricted free agent.

The Power’s financial woes and poor on-field form make them particularly vulnerable in the new free agency system.

Adding to Port’s worries, Cameron flew to Sydney on Wednesday to speak to Greater Western Sydney about an assistant coaching role under Kevin Sheedy.

It is understood the role would involve a succession plan where Cameron would take over as senior coach, possibly in 2014.

Cameron had been considered the favourite to become Port’s new coach.

Port football manager Peter Rohde said they had made a call on Pearce first because his situation was much more clear-cut.

“We got the Pearce one earlier … we had more time to consider that,” Rohde told AFL Trade Radio.

“To be more honest, it’s a bit more cut-and-dried, to match the offer that Fremantle put up was really not an option for us.

“We think the offer they’ve given him is very generous.

“Troy Chaplin is in a different position, a different sort of player obviously and we are certainly considering what we’re going to do there.”

Rohde added that the Power had formally interviewed Cameron on Monday about the senior coaching job.

Cameron is currently an assistant at Hawthorn.

“We’re very aware he’s been talking to GWS today and we’ve obviously spent a fair bit of time conversing with him about our job,” Rohde said.

“We’re a fair way down the path with him, but he has another offer on the table.

“We’ll wait and see how it unfolds.”

Ken Hinkley, an assistant at Gold Coast, is another candidate.

“He’s certainly one of the ones we’ve been working through over the last couple of weeks,” Rohde said.

“We certainly have quite a few other options … we’d like to think we’ll have it finished by the end of the week or over the weekend.

“We won’t be hurrying the process, it’s important we get the right decision.”

Experienced senior coaches Rodney Eade and Brett Ratten have withdrawn their interest in the Port job.

Meanwhile, Hamish McIntosh’s manager has said the player wants to leave North Melbourne because the ruck set-up with Todd Goldstein is not working.

McIntosh, who is under contract, has spoken to Geelong.

“We’re looking for opportunities, it’s not working to the optimum level,” Tom Petroro said.

“Geelong are in the box seat (if McIntosh goes to another club).”