The news that Cardiff supporters knew would be coming proved every bit as bad as plenty had feared, with 16 first-team players on the list of departures from the Arms Park.
Some will wonder at the difficulty the club will have fielding a competitive side throughout next season.
Most will feel for those who have been released while wondering where the players involved will play their rugby.
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All will be angry at the financial mess that Welsh rugby finds itself in.
How long it will take for the game this side of the River Severn to find its way back to good health remains to be seen.
But here’s our take on what lies ahead for the players who are leaving Cardiff and on what is left behind.
Rhys Priestland
“Rhys has made it pretty clear his plan is to retire unless he gets an offer that he can't refuse,” said Dai Young earlier this month. “We are not in a position to make those offers. Rhys is looking at life after rugby at this moment in time unless something came up, more overseas rather than here in Wales."
The Wales international has been superb for Cardiff, calm amid the most pressured situations. If he does finish as a professional player, he’ll hope to embark on the career as a financial advisor that he’s long planned.
Jason Harries
Announced that his time as a pro rugby player was ending last weekend, while teasingly adding: “However, the boots aren’t quite hung up yet.”
Harries signed off from Cardiff with a memorable performance against the Ospreys on Judgement Day. The grapevine is now suggesting a potential link with Pontypridd, though nothing's been confirmed.
Harri Millard
He is departing the Arms Park after seven seasons. A member of the Grand Slam-winning Wales U20s squad of 2016, he is quick and skilful and at 26 he still has plenty to offer, either in professional or semi-professional rugby.
Rey Lee-Lo
Will long be remembered fondly at Cardiff Rugby after contributing so much over the past eight seasons and 151 games for the club. He still looked sharp when featuring against the Ospreys last weekend, but there’s a reasonable chance that at 37 the popular Samoan may consider winding down if no attractive opportunity comes his way. We'll see.
Willis Halaholo
Halaholo and Lee-Lo can be classed as one of Welsh rugby’s great centre pairings, with hot steps, searing pace and lashings of skill. Their worth to Cardiff has been incalculable since they linked up in 2016. Injuries hammered Halaholo in 2022-23, with the centre currently sidelined by an Achilles problem. He’ll be 33 when he returns but will feel he has a lot of good rugby left in him. He’s hoping for clarity on his future over the coming weeks and is thought to have a few potential options. Whichever club picks him up will be acquiring a quality player.
Max Llewellyn
The 6ft 5in, 16st 7lb centre is bound for Gloucester and potentially for the Wales set-up. After investing so much in his development, Cardiff will be sad to see him head over the Bridge.
Jarrod Evans
One of Welsh rugby’s great entertainers whose exit from the Welsh will be lamented by many. He won't even be eligible for Wales.
But Harlequins supporters are sure to enjoy his play when he arrives at The Stoop for next season.
For plenty at Cardiff and beyond in Wales, his exit will be cause for special regret.
Talents like Evans do not come along often.
Lloyd Williams
It reached the point where it seemed Williams might outlast the castle in Cardiff, but he moves on after 261 games. There has been speculation he could join Ealing Trailfinders. Wherever he turns up, the 33-year-old’s place in the history of Cardiff RFC is secure.
Brad Thyer
The prop has been a fine servant over 99 games for the capital city club. Nothing has been revealed on where he’s set to continue his career, albeit there have been rumours that Ealing Trailfinders could be interested.
Kristian Dacey
Another great Cardiff servant, in his case over 202 games. The Wales international has been linked with Merthyr and talks have taken place, but at the time of writing his future was still up in the air.
Kirby Myhill
The hooker made 98 appearances for the Arms Park club after joining them in 2016. Along the way, he won a Wales cap. Combative on the pitch, the 31-year-old will likely want to stay in the professional game.
Dillon Lewis
Along with Jarrod Evans, the 50-cap Wales tighthead is heading across the M4 to Harlequins. He played 90 times for Cardiff over nine seasons.
Dmitri Arhip
The Moldovan strongman leaves after 71 outings. As with some others who are leaving, he’s found himself out of contract at a difficult time, with Arhip sidelined by injury. The 34-year-old will want to resume as soon as possible and continue his career at a high level.
Joe Peard
Dafydd Jenkins’ former lock partner for Wales U20s made the move to Cardiff last summer but couldn’t force his way into the side. Still only 21, the 6ft 7in, 19st 8lb forward has enough power to encourage the belief that he could yet come through in senior rugby.
James Ratti
Barely a year ago, the 6ft 4in, 18st 12lb No. 8 or lock was in the Wales squad, albeit without winning a cap; now he finds himself without a club. Might the Swansea-born player make it back to the Ospreys, where he started out in the senior game? There is the odd whisper on that score.
Josh Navidi
The outstanding back rower has retired as a player after a Cardiff career that stretches back to 2009-10. There have been few players as brave or selfless as the 32–year-old.
WHAT WILL CARDIFF BE LEFT WITH?
It’s impossible to sugar-coat departures on the scale Cardiff have just announced.
The losses can’t be assessed only in terms of numbers.
Cardiff are also losing a huge amount of quality.
It is a sad day for the club amid the financial turbulence that’s sweeping through the Welsh professional game.
How will the Arms Park squad look next season? When they have everyone available, they should still be able to field a pack boasting Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher, Keiron Assiratti, Seb Davies, Lopeti Timani, Josh Turnbull, Thomas Young and Taulupe Faletau, with Rhys Carre, Shane Lewis-Hughes, James Botham, Ellis Jenkins, Efan Daniel and maybe Teddy Williams, if he signs a new deal, as further options.
Behind, plenty of sides would relish having players of the quality of Tomos Williams, Mason Grady, Josh Adams, Owen Lane and Liam Williams in their ranks, along with the likes of Ben Thomas, Matthew Morgan, Theo Cabango and Aled Summerhill, while Jacob Beetham and Cameron Winnett are emerging talents.
At the very least Cardiff need another fly-half, a centre or two and cover pretty much everywhere, while they could also do with their young players developing quickly, and we are talking serious understatement there.
They also need luck in the injury front.
Even then, they could find themselves brutally stretched during international blocks.
It’s where Welsh rugby is at.
Supporters can fairly ask how it has come to this.
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