I wouldn't go with a 2-3 seating layout, a real waste of space. More pitch for all is much better. Consider this, if you turned the A320 from 6 abreast to 5 in Y, you would be losing 23 seats (current config, 144 pax, 2 rows of J, 23 rows of Y). That's basically 4 rows. 4 rows removed from an aircraft that's 37" in Y. That's pitch greater than the old J (35")!
I think real perceptions of space come from pitch, not width. The A320 is hardly an aircraft wanting for width, anyway.
One thing I'd ask. You're pessimistic of AN's ability to go at QF & DJ, but isn't QF doing what AN wants to do? Isn't AN in terms of its positioning just trying to be its old self again? What's different?
QF has cheapies out there, and they're not impossible to get.
Cheers,
Justin