But Syms conceded it would be difficult to leave the star out, despite vying for the locking positions with team captain Tom Parsons, former All Black Bryn Evans and Māori All Black Isaia Walker-Leawere.
Retallick had been forecast to be unavailable for the All Blacks for six to eight weeks, but posted on Instagram on July 18: "Cheekbone is all back together thanks to the staff at Hawke's Bay Hospital, very thankful as it's a busy place at the moment. A few weeks needed to let it heal up."
Retallick first played for the Magpies in a pre-season, non first-class hit-out in 2010, and made two NPC appearances in 2011 and 10 in 2012 - his last for the province before signing with Bay of Plenty, as he joined Super Rugby with the Chiefs. A member of a world-champion New Zealand under 20s, he also became an All Black in 2012.
These commitments to the higher order meant he never played for Bay of Plenty. He signed back with Hawke's Bay in 2015, played one match for his Waipukurau club Central in 2019 and, after two years' sabbatical in Japan, is now signed with Hawke's Bay through to next year.
His big matches include 95 for the All Blacks, 115 for the Chiefs and 15 for Japan side the Kobelco Steelers.
Syms said the only injury problem in the current squad is the ankle sprain suffered by wing Jonah Lowe in Sunday's win over Manawatū in Palmerston North - the squad bouncing back from a Wednesday night loss to Otago in Dunedin for the third 40-pointer against Manawatū in three years.
The coach will, however, delay until as late as possible the naming of a team for the match which, as a Saturday afternoon fixture, is likely to attract McLean Park's biggest crowd of the season to date.
It will be the Magpies' 13th defence of the Ranfurly Shield since winning it against Otago in October 2020 to kickstart Hawke's Bay's sixth shield era, but North Harbour, established in breaking away from the Auckland union in 1985, have won the Shield just once, in 2006.
Their plans for a challenge against Hawke's Bay last year folded because of the Covid-19 crisis, and their last challenge was a 31-25 loss to Canterbury in 2019.
If Retallick plays, he'll likely be wearing the blue and red socks of Central, as the team will all sport the socks of their clubs.
HBRU commercial manager Dan Somerville also announced a partnership with sponsor Deco City Motor Lodge, which will see free admission for all those aged 14 and under who are wearing their club T-shirts, hoodies, jerseys or tracksuits.
"We are very lucky to have many sponsors who want to support kids and encourage them to participate," Somerville said. "We looked at the schedule of games this season, and with an early kickoff time, this game stood out as a perfect opportunity to end the club season on a high [club rugby having ended with the last children's games last weekend]."
Schools rugby features in the curtain-raiser, the Unison Shield Hawke's Bay secondary schools Division 1 final between Lindisfarne 2nd XV and Hastings Boys' High School 3rd XV.
