While the Giants lost Dylan Shiel, Rory Lobb and Tom Scully - all established players - and Will Setterfield, they gained four draft picks in the top 25.

The Giants had to let players go because of a salary cap squeeze, but football boss Wayne Campbell is confident it will help in a year's time when they aim to keep Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio.

"It certainly gives us a better chance," Campbell said.

"We're in a really unique situation. We're a seven-year-old club, we've had a lot of talent come in and a lot of talent that's now in the prime of their careers - and the prime of their earning capacity as well."

The Giants recruited no players during trade period, but by trading out several players they gained a better bargaining position with Essendon over the Dylan Shiel trade.

It meant when the deal was done late on Wednesday, only minutes before the trade period deadline, they had gained two round-one draft picks.

Campbell said that after bringing in experienced players such as Brett Deledio and Steve Johnson to supplement their glut of young talent, only to fall short of a premiership, they can reset quickly.

"We've had a crack at having a go at it. It fell short," he said.

"We think we have a strong list, some real talent, and we've also added three first-round picks.

"We think we're in a good position ... it's not always that you have four really quality players and people go out of your club.

"But it's the lot we've been given and we think we have a pretty strong hand as well."

Australian Associated Press