What the hell is happening at the giants. They're losing some best 22 talent:
Smith (small fwd)
Wilson (HBF)
Stevie J (HFF)
Then they want to move on Shaw (HBF) and Mumford (Ruck).
I know they see lobb as the number 1 ruck but how are they getting two best 22 HBF from and a small fwd?
Not necessarily agreeing with the detail of your post but certainly with your conclusion.
I’ve argued for some time that this is “peak talent” for GWS.
The trade period will confirm one way or other.
If they trade out their excess talent as we all expect and get only late first or early seconds for them, then their talent base has decayed. Smith was #11, Kennedy #13. If either get to their destination of choice it will be for seconds, or later firsts at best.
Add on the retirement factor, and free agency rearing it’s head in two years, and I struggle to see how their talent replenishment strategy survives.
If so, they’ll be like everyone else: trade something of value to get something of value.
We may even see it over the next few days.
(eg: Tomlinson & Hopper for #7 & Hickey)
HOWEVER: “peak talent” does not mean they have yet peaked as a team.
They’ll be very good for a fair while yet, just not the juggernaut everyone thought.