FLEDGLING clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney will again be strong players at this year's draft after both decided to activate early compensation  picks.

The Suns had three picks available to use this year and the Giants had two, but both will activate only one this season and spread them over consecutive drafts.

Ahead of Tuesday's deadline whereby clubs need to notify the League, AFL.com.au understands Gold Coast will activate its end-of-first-round compensation pick for this year's draft.

The club had to decide whether to activate that selection or the first-round pick it also holds which is tied to Geelong's finishing position.  

This meant some of its decision-making process revolved around predicting if the Cats would finish higher in 2013 or 2014.

Gold Coast's final compensation selection, another end-of-round one pick, will be used in 2015.

The Giants will activate their mid-first-round pick this year.

The move adds more strength to the Sydney club's position on draft night, meaning it will have an extra selection in the top 10 or so picks regardless of its finishing position.

GWS will use its other banked compensation pick, an end-of-first-round selection, next year.

West Coast is the only other club with a remaining compensation pick, but it is unlikely to use it until 2014.   

The Eagles faced a tough decision in whether or not to use the third-round pick this year but are set to leave it to be activated next year.

The pick is tied to Collingwood's finishing position and could have forced the Eagles to take four picks to the draft when under AFL rules the minimum is three picks.

Follow AFL website reporter Callum Twomey on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.

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