The Hawks and Demons failed to settle on a trade for the high-flying forward to head to her fourth club before Wednesday's 4pm deadline.
Melbourne had been after Hawthorn's pick No.14 as part of any deal for Harris, but the Hawks were reluctant to part with the selection.
Four-time All-Australian Harris, who has a new contract on the table from Melbourne, has the option to either re-sign with the Dees, or try her luck in Monday night's draft.
But the 2022 premiership Demon indicated via a post on her Instagram, showing her celebrating at the MCG with captain Kate Hore, on Wednesday night she would be staying put.
"Dees," Harris wrote.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tayla ⚡� Harris (@tayla_harris)
Demons list boss Todd Patterson later told the AFL's website the club expected to retain Harris, who had confirmed to them she would stay, for 2025.
The 27-year-old missed most of the season after requiring shoulder surgery, but at her best is one of the top aerial players in the game.
Late in the trade period, Essendon sealed a deal to send former No.4 draft pick Amber Clarke to St Kilda for pick No.8.
It means the Bombers now have picks No.8 and No.11 in a highly rated national draft.
Earlier, AFLW premiers North Melbourne made their undefeated 2024 team even stronger by snaffling Richmond star Eilish Sheerin on the final day of the trade period.
The Kangaroos handed over their first-round pick, No.18, in exchange for two-time All-Australian Sheerin, 32, on Wednesday morning.
A mature-aged recruit who joined the Tigers in 2022, Sheerin earned back-to-back All-Australian berths as a defender before moving into the midfield in 2024, when she averaged 18.4 disposals and 7.4 tackles per game.
Sheerin's departure from Richmond, for a relatively low price, is eyebrow-raising given she had finished second behind Monique Conti in their best and fairest in three consecutive seasons.
After three seasons with Richmond Eilish Sheerin has jumped at the chance to join the Kangaroos. (Hamish Blair/AAP PHOTOS)
St Kilda's Irish dasher Grace Kelly, 30, reunited with sister Niamh at Adelaide as GWS's former No.1 pick Nicola Barr, 28, joined the Saints on a three-year deal via a three-way trade.
The Crows gave up pick No.52, which went to the Giants, who gave up pick No.57 along with Barr to the Saints.
Also on Wednesday, Essendon's Ash Van Loon headed to Sydney and Swan Ella Heads joined Port Adelaide as part of a four-way trade also involving the Brisbane Lions.
A handful of draft picks were also involved in the deal, including Port swapping pick No.15 for Brisbane's No.17 while shuffling later selections.
The Bombers claimed the Lions' pick No.35.
It's another four club trade 🔀— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) In additional to these players finding new homes, the four clubs have swapped picks with Brisbane moving up in the first round of the draft order. See the full details of the trade: https://t.co/LC5fw1DH7P pic.twitter.com/qtP3k06ocwDecember 11, 2024
Collingwood gave up pick No.45 for Fremantle speedster Airlie Runnalls.
After falling out of favour at North in 2024, Lulu Pullar departed for the Swans in exchange for picks No.49 and No.51.
The Kangaroos then flipped pick No.51 to the Dockers for ruck-forward Ariana Hetherington.
BIG COMPLETED DEALS OF AFLW TRADE DEADLINE DAY:
* Richmond trade Eilish Sheerin to North Melbourne for pick No.18
* Essendon trade Amber Clarke to St Kilda for pick No.8
* GWS trade Nicola Barr and pick No.57 to St Kilda, who trade Grace Kelly to Adelaide, who send pick No.52 to GWS.
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