With budgets coming down and players leaving the Welsh professional sides in their droves, the onus on those still left to to do the business has arguably never been greater.
Additions might prove difficult this summer, leaving sides relying even more on last year's recruitment than normal.
Which begs the question of how well last summer's new signings worked out...
Brilliant business
Starting in the Welsh capital, it's not been the easiest week for Thomas Young - given his dad and coach, Dai, was suddenly suspended by Cardiff last week.
But, the Welsh openside responded in fitting fashion with a stunning two-try performance against the Ospreys at Judgement Day. For those who have followed the former Wasps man during his first season back in CF10, it wasn't out of the ordinary.
Possessing a rapid turn of pace for a back-row, his eye for the line and aggressive work at the breakdown has been a big part of what has worked at the Arms Park this season. Alongside him in the back-row, Wales talisman Taulupe Faletau has gone well during his first season at Cardiff.
Over at the Dragons, there's been a few very good bits of business - perhaps not surprising given they signed more players than anyone last year.
Wales hooker Bradley Roberts has been superb, bringing plenty of physicality with his destructive carrying, while George Nott has added some grunt, work ethic and lineout brilliance to the forward pack.
The story of Steff Hughes going from being released by the Scarlets to being picked up as injury cover in Newport, only to become one of their most important players, has been told a lot, but it's still worth noting how good an addition he's been.
But the Dragons' best acquisition was another player from the Scarlets. Angus O'Brien returned back to Rodney Parade last summer and immediately made his mark as their player of the season.
Starting at full-back, he reverted to fly-half towards the end of the campaign - but his time and ability on the ball, as well as his vision particularly from the back-field, shone through regardless of where he played.
Like Hughes, Owen Williams was another injury cover signing after the season had begun, but it has certainly worked out for the former Worcester Warriors playmaker. Thrown into the Ospreys' European campaign, he guided them to the knockout stages, earning a Wales recall in the process.
With Gareth Anscombe and Stephen Myler departing next year, he'll be the main man in Swansea next year.
Finally, at the Scarlets, Vaea Fifita has continuously done things that seem unthinkable for a loose forward. Discipline hasn't always been brilliant, with four yellow cards and one red in his debut season down west, but the quality has shone through - particularly as the Scarlets attack has become fluent in the new year.
At times, there aren't enough superlatives for some of the things he does on a rugby pitch.
Solid signing
Cardiff have longed for a physical lump in the second-row ever since a deal for Franco van der Merwe broke down six years ago.
Lopeti Timani appears to have filled that, growing quietly as the campaign has worn on. Unspectacular, but can provide some real momentum with a big hit or carry.
Wales international Rhodri Jones has proved to be a handy signing for the Dragons. The scrum has struggled throughout the campaign, but it's hard to pin that entirely on prop Jones - even if improvements are desperately needed.
Sam Wainwright joined the Scarlets from Saracens with immediate effect in November, months after making a surprise Wales debut in South Africa. Since moving to Llanelli, he's proven a solid option on the tight-head and has been rewarded with a new deal.
Work to do
Cardiff's decision to sign a number of players on NS38 contracts has backfired somewhat, given how tight finances have become due to that particular framework no longer existing and budgets being reduced anyway.
That certainly makes you question the value of current Wales players on big contracts that you rarely see throughout the season. While Faletau made 13 appearances and narrowly missed out on being named the Arms Park's player's player of the season, Wales full-back Liam Williams hasn't enjoyed such a successful season.
Injuries and Wales duty mean he's played just 180 minutes for Cardiff. Right now, it's still not certain if he'll be in the Welsh capital next year - with talk of a move to Japan still persisting.
There's a quartet at Rodney Parade who Dai Flanagan will be looking to get more out of next season. JJ Hanrahan has been decent, but the Dragons need more from an experienced fly-half than just decent, particularly as Sam Davies departs.
The same goes for Max Clark, with the centre having once been touted as a potential Wales international while at Bath. However, he's fallen down the pecking order and didn't make too much of an impression in his debut season.
Both Sean Lonsdale and Sio Tomkinson arrived in Newport last year with relatively high expectations. Former Highlanders star Tomkinson was the most high-profile addition, while loose forward Lonsdale arrived from Exeter with a high ceiling.
However, Tomkinson has only shown flashes of his quality, while Lonsdale has fallen off a bit after a strong start.
At the Ospreys, there's a lot to like with Jack Walsh. When he takes the ball in motion, he causes defences difficulties and puts his Ospreys team-mates into space. However, at this stage, his game is a little too erratic.
Unfortunately for Toby Booth, the Ospreys had to turn to Walsh more than they would have liked in the early stages of last season. Hopefully, some slower progression will help moving forward.
Didn't work out
Lofty Wales U20s second-row Joe Peard arrived at Cardiff from the Dragons last season having not made a single senior appearance at Rodney Parade. Unfortunately, he leaves the Arms Park this summer having not featured in the Welsh capital either.
Another one-and-done in terms of seasons at their new club was Wales loose-head Rob Evans. Four years ago, he was a starter in a Grand Slam campaign.
However, his Test career tailed off after that and, after being released by the Scarlets last season, he would have been hoping to turn things around at the Dragons. It didn't work out like that, though.
And now the Dragons will look to the loose-head market again rather than keep Evans on.
Two late-season injury cover deals at the Ospreys Tom Cowan-Dickie and Harri Doel, seem a little unfair to categorise anywhere. Cowan-Dickie made a few cameos, while Doel got on for his first appearance in the final game of the season.
With both being injury cover deals, it's unclear yet if they'll be around much longer to make more of an impact.
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