Aaron Woods would be a wise old head and cheap. If it was my side I would look at him. I'd go all out for Ponga and B.Smith and build around that.
Definitely Ponga and Smith.
B. Smith I think is a distinct possibility. Ponga though would cost upwards of $1.1m and probably more to get from NC. They wouldn't give him up without throwing the kitchen sink at and so far he himself has never given the impression that he wants to leave and has doubled down on wanting to stay there whenever asked about a possible move.
Woods is a complimentary player at this stage of his career. He is not a leader of the pack.
If I were them I would be inquiring with DCE's manager whether Dale would be interested in a $1.2m contract for 2023(yes cut his Manly contract short by a year) and then offer 2 more years at $1m. They will need a quality half no matter who else the sign and him being a QLDer and quality, maybe appealing to both parties.
But they will need a quality playmaker or it doesn't matter who else they sign, they will be shit and not perform consistently well.
I hope the leave their stinking hands off of our young J. Arthur.
No seriously Mitchell Moses will be a massive target for them come 2023.