ROOKIE: Solomon Alaimalo has been one of the finds of the Mitre 10 Cup season, adding impetus from the backfield. Dianne Manson/Getty Images
ROOKIE: Solomon Alaimalo has been one of the finds of the Mitre 10 Cup season, adding impetus from the backfield. Dianne Manson/Getty Images
To the casual observer there is an underlying sentiment of 'same stuff, different year' to go with Northland's 2016 Mitre 10 Cup campaign, however that isn't entirely correct.
Northland's losing streak sits at 16. They haven't won a Mitre 10 Cup match since October 3, 2014. Not a lot haschanged since then: Canterbury still is a dominant force in the Mitre 10 Cup, the All Blacks continue to be the best team in world rugby and the Warriors are still the poster child for mediocrity.
The Taniwha, however, are a far different team to the one that lost 10 games last season.
Despite going down in their opening four matches in 2016, they have looked very competitive. If they didn't make a couple of errors down the stretch against Manawatu and Otago, we would be talking about them as playoff contenders in the Championship.
A lot of the credit for their improvement must go to the coaching group and Richie Harris in particular.
Harris, in his second season at the helm, has moulded Northland into a more competitive and clinical team than when he started.
They have the capability to win multiple games in the Mitre 10 Cup; however there are some glaring areas where they need immediate improvement.
For starters, the lineout is currently a shambles. Completing fewer than 70% of their own throws has hindered their ability to pile pressure on opposition deep in their territory.
Whether it is a communication or a technical issue, it needs to be rectified fast.
They have a quality hooker/lock combination in Matt Moulds and Josh Goodhue, but they need to execute to give Northland a strong platform.
Another area where quick change is needed is the effectiveness of ball carrying.
Northland comfortably leads the competition in the number of carries with 500 - Wellington is next on 459 - but metres per carry are a major issue.
They are only gaining three metres every run which ranks them dead last. The issue clearly isn't ball retention.
A change of direction of their attack could help. Getting more carries out of big winger Jone Macilai would be a start.
However the scenery isn't entirely bleak for Northland fans.
Defensively, they are missing few tackles. Matt Matich (2nd) and Jack Ram (3rd) rank highly in terms of made tackles, while the team is in the top four for tackling efficiency.
Matt Matich has been a defensive force for Northland, ranking second in the Mitre 10 Cup for tackles made. Dianne Manson/Getty Images
On attack Northland rank second for offloads and have shown an ability to make clean breaks, particularly through stellar Blues flanker Kara Pryor.
Former Otago first five Peter Breen has added direction, a good boot and a willingness to run the ball to the backline.
Furthermore Solomon Alaimalo has been potentially the find of the season, combining a touch of class coupled with an innate ability to offload and read the game.
The young fullback ranks fourth overall in carries, metres and offloads, highlighting his ability with the ball in hand.
One issue that they can't control though is injuries, and losing another player of Dan Pryor's calibre could be fatal to their chances of ending the streak.
Northland faces Bay of Plenty on Friday night which presents a prime opportunity for the Taniwha to strike.
And with further matches against Tasman, Southland and North Harbour, there is a good chance for a four-win season and a glimpse at a brighter future for Northland rugby.
