If you could win trade week, Greater Western Sydney would take the gold medal. The Giants have managed to emerge from Silly Season with 11 out of the first 14 picks in the 2011 draft, including the first five.

In addition, the Giants managed to score three first-round compensation picks that they can use in future drafts.

The Giants exploited the ‘mini-draft' to its fullest, snatching first-round picks off Gold Coast and Adelaide as compensation for letting their best youngsters go. They also poached three ageing superstars who were supposedly retired in Dean Brogan, Chad Cornes, and Luke Power.

Where this leaves the Giants, however, is with an unbalanced list. That trio will add experience to the well of youth, but what is missing is the key age group of 24-28 year olds. At present, there is only one player on their list above the age of 23 apart from that trio. This assures that GWS' full impact will not be felt for a few years yet.

Hawthorn were the next most active team over the week, losing a number of players but securing two promising talents: Jack Gunston (from Adelaide) and big defender Jarrad Boumann (from GWS).

Hawthorn have made no secret of their desire for another tall defender, and while they were chasing Geelong's Tom Gillies, they will make do with Boumann. However, the Hawks must now find a way to harmonise a defence that includes Boumann, Gibson, Gilham, Murphy, Schoenmakers, and Stratton. They almost have too many talls.

The Hawks lost Brent Renouf to Port Adelaide, who were desperately in need of a ruckman. How quickly things change - it was only last year that Renouf was Hawthorn's last fit ruckman; 12 months later he proved superfluous. Hawthorn, to quote Midnight Oil, "must have a short memory."

Brisbane also lost a ruckman in Mitch Clark, who was unhappy as a Lion. However, the Lions refused an offer from Fremantle - Clark's preferred destination - and instead agreed for him to move to Melbourne, for a marginally better pick.

I was disappointed with Brisbane's treatment of Clark. For the difference between picks 12 and 16 - and bear in mind they also have pick eight - they completely disrespected the man who almost single-handedly kept the team together in 2009.

To replace Clark, the Lions coaxed Ben Hudson out of retirement, and landed tall utility Jordan Lisle from Hawthorn.

Melbourne should be able to use Clark effectively up forward. With Mark Jamar and Stefan Martin sharing ruck duties to great effect, I foresee Clark in a primarily attacking role. Along with experience, strength, and marking ability in himself, he will take a key defender away from project players Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe.

Ruckmen were in high demand, and Richmond moved heaven and earth to snare Ivan Maric. It was a perfect trade as Maric wanted to return home to Melbourne, and the Tigers' ruck stocks needed a boost.

One of the most interesting teams over the week was St Kilda. The Saints picked up small forwards Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera from GWS for pick 20, but I'm still trying to work out why a team with Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider would want more small forwards.

I can think of two possible reasons: St Kilda had just three players score more than 15 goals this year. Saad and Milera could provide additional avenues to goal. Either that, or the post-Ross Lyon Saints are desperate to shake their perception of ultra-defensiveness.

The Saints also traded out two young prospects, Tom Lynch and Tommy Walsh.

St Kilda had been keen to keep the pair, but their years of non-selection got the better of them in the end. Lynch played just six games since being drafted in 2008, Walsh never debuted. Much has been made of Lyon's unwillingness to blood new players in his time at St Kilda, perhaps the disillusioned young pair's departure was his final legacy.

Elsewhere, Sydney continue to act as the league's recycling plant as they traded Mitch Morton in for a fourth-round pick. The Swans have a knack for giving disgruntled players (think Mumford, McGlynn, Kennedy, Richards et al) a new home.

Morton will be joined by Walsh and former Crow Tony Armstrong. All three had been unhappy at their previous clubs, each for his own reasons, but should settle nicely in red and white. It's a culture the club has created and they will reap its benefits shortly.

West Coast squeezed pick 28 out of Port Adelaide for Brad Ebert - which I feel to be good value - while also landing Josh Hill, who will add a touch of magic to their already potent attack. The Eagles can be very happy with their week.

Gold Coast appeared to have more draft picks than it could handle at the end of the week, making two interesting trades just before the deadline on Monday. The Suns gave three picks to Adelaide and two to Geelong, for the return of just one higher pick from each team.

Port Adelaide welcomed home a familiar name in Ebert, and filled a gaping hole with Renouf. However, for a team that very nearly finished last and is in clear rebuild mode, they finished trade week with just one pick inside the first 44. They cannot be happy with that outcome.

Carlton were the only team not involved in a trade.

For mine, the big winners out of trade week were GWS, West Coast, and Sydney. GWS owns the first round of the draft, West Coast got good value for their trades, and Sydney continue to isolate good players who, for whatever reason, are not valued by their club.

St Kilda suffered the rawest deal, losing two youngsters they'd been priming for a few years - including one from Ireland, and all the time, money and effort associated with that - and picking up two players who will find it tough to get a regular game, by dint of their position. At least they got some decent picks out of it.