Nearly 12 months on, Kane Cornes has listed GWS as the team he believes had the best trade period last season.
In totality, the Giants lost Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Bobby Hill and Tanner Bruhn.
However, they managed to add a bevvy of draft picks, including pick one last year and pick six this year.
They also managed to add Toby Bedford from Melbourne for a third round pick, who has had an impressive year as a small forward.
Cornes believes they’ve also added by subtraction, with the loss of key mids allowing the likes of Tom Green and Finn Callaghan to flourish as young midfielders, while Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly have had incredible seasons as pure on-ballers.
“Did any list manager have a better trade period than Jason McCartney at the Giants?” Cornes asked on SEN’s Sportsday.
“He cleared out massive room in their salary cap – Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto have gone – he turned them into picks six, 12, 19 and 31.
“He got Toby Bedford from Melbourne for the bargain price of pick 44 who has been a star and those exits have allowed younger players to get an opportunity in the midfield.
“They haven’t been hurt by losing Hopper and Taranto and they’re in a really good position this year with pick six.
“They got Aaron Cadman, the number one pick, we think he’s going to get there at some point.
“Well done to Jason McCartney at the Giants.”
Who could be the team that makes the biggest splash in the 2023 trade period?
Cornes is impressed with Hawthorn’s early activity in the lead-up, with the club linked to Liam Henry from Fremantle and Bailey Smith at the Bulldogs.
“I’m already loving what I’m hearing out of Hawthorn in the trade period,” he said.
“Yesterday it emerged that they’re after Fremantle’s Liam Henry who is out of contract, the link to Bailey Smith was also reported, whether that happens or not, Sam Edmund shot that down (yesterday) morning.
“Liam Henry is 21 and Smith is 22, the perfect age for this rebuilding group.
“They’ll also get a very good player with pick three, maybe the wizard Nick Watson who is this unbelievable small forward to replace Luke Breust eventually.
“I really like how active Hawthorn looks heading into the trade period.”
The 2023 AFL Trade and Free Agency Period commences October 6th and runs until October 18th.