GREATER Western Sydney initially targeted experienced opposition players with its mini-draft concessions but opted to take draft picks when opposition clubs proved reluctant to trade their stars, Giants list manager Stephen Silvagni says.

The Giants this week ensured they would have the first three picks in this year's NAB AFL Draft, when they acquired picks No. 2 and 3 in exchange for mini-draft 17-year-olds Jack Martin (Gold Coast) and Jesse Hogan (Melbourne).

GWS also secured an additional first-round pick, 13, from the Demons.

Last year, the Giants used the mini-draft to acquire picks No. 4 (Suns, Jaeger O'Meara) and 10 (Adelaide, Brad Crouch) in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft, giving them 11 of the first 14 picks. They also stockpiled two round-one compensation selections they are yet to utilise.

The Giants' mini-draft riches were different to those the AFL envisaged when it announced the concession - which expansion predecessor Gold Coast did not enjoy - in October 2009.

At the time, the AFL's rationale was that GWS, being based in a largely unexplored AFL region, would need greater assistance than the Suns to attract experienced opposition players.

But Silvagni said despite the Giants' best efforts, the clubs bidding for the rights to the country's elite 17-year-olds had preferred to offer draft picks.

"Our focus initially was to get some quality players through the door, senior players," Silvagni told Gillette AFL Trade Radio on Wednesday.

"Having said that, probably clubs weren't forthcoming in terms of what we wanted. We knew that the picks were valuable and obviously we wanted quality players back.

"I can totally understand why those clubs didn't want to give up those players.

"So we really needed to move forward and look to secure the best possible picks that these priority picks could bring."

Silvagni said he had no doubt the AFL wanted the Giants to use the mini-draft to attract senior opposition players.

"But at the same time, those picks were valuable picks and what was coming forth in terms of players didn't represent the same value as the picks," Silvagni said.

"So we needed to make a decision on what the best situation was for our club."

While the AFL envisaged the mini-draft concessions being used to attract experienced players, AFL media manager Patrick Keane told AFL.com.au the League had not wanted to restrict the Giants' use of them or their other list-establishment concessions.

"Both the Suns and Giants have not taken the path of putting on great numbers of established players, but that's not to criticise them, just recognising that they have gone a different way," Keane said.

Some clubs have reportedly expressed concerns this week the Giants' raft of early 2011-12 draft choices will make them a powerhouse team in years to come.

However, Silvagni pointed out that Adelaide, last year, and Melbourne, this year, had been able to use the compensation they'd received after losing Phil Davis and Tom Scully to the Giants as part of the mini-draft trades that secured Crouch and Hogan.

"It sort of works in a roundabout way," Silvagni said.

Nick Bowen is a reporter with AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nick