The Blues need to be on a par with the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Chiefs in the production of young, international talent. They probably need to be ahead, given their player resource.
Production means the identification, development, management and refining; the ability to take promising schoolboys all the way through to being All Blacks.
The Blues have sporadically been good at component parts in the last decade - but that counts for nothing. The whole package has to be right and maybe this is something the Blues have finally got right.
When the Blues imploded last year there was heavy criticism of the region's talent identification programme; 12 months on and that view needs to be revised. The problem didn't lie further down the chain - the right players were being picked and groomed at age-grade level.
In 2008, the Blues region had 17 players in New Zealand's wider under-17 development programme: in 2012 they had 35. In 2008, the Blues provided two players for the New Zealand Schools team: last year, they had 16 split across NZ Schools and NZ Barbarians Schools. In 2008, there were five players in the New Zealand under-20 side: this year there are 10.
The problem was the former Blues coaching staff didn't accurately profile the type of players they needed, nor did they accurately assess the talent within the region, nor did they have the skills and expertise to develop those they did select.
It says everything about the flaws within the system under the previous Blues' coaching regime that neither Luatua nor Piutau were initially selected in the Blues squad last year.
It says more again that Saili wasn't even wanted by Auckland last year - they didn't see he had what they needed and he was picked up by North Harbour.
The arrival of John Kirwan and his expanded coaching team has added the missing piece - there is now a top-end panel that can select the right players and develop them fully.
"Francis is just hugely talented and he's going to go a long way. Charles is another X-factor player for us, as is Steven Luatua," says Kirwan. "We need to make sure we keep developing these young guys. They have to make sure they learn about consistency of performance and that it is a grind.
"We probably have not done well in the grind but they will learn that and the more exposure they can get to international football, the better they will be for us."
Player turnover has been a perennial problem in the last five years but that may be greatly reduced in 2013. Chief executive Andy Dalton says they are well advanced in contracting players for next season.
They will be in the market for a lock - Anthony Boric is leaving for Japan - and a quality centre, as there is still uncertainty about Rene Ranger's plans.
In the past, the Blues stood little hope of being successful in the recruitment market; few players wanted to come because the reputation of the team wasn't great.
"I think now we have a coaching team that appeals to players," says Dalton. "I'd be surprised if you could find a better coaching team anywhere in the country."
Dalton, with the failure to retain Ma'a Nonu this year in mind, also says the Blues have learned the importance of helping players settle in Auckland. The Blues haven't always appreciated in the past just what a big deal it is for some players to shift to the big smoke.
With a private equity investment of $4 million to be poured into the franchise later this year, the Blues will move on to a stronger footing again. Dalton says that cash will give them the ability to invest more readily in the team and it will also help the franchise build the dedicated training facility it feels it needs to be considered the leading professional outfit in New Zealand.
Three options are open to the Blues: they can upgrade their current base at Unitec in Mount Albert, shift to Liston Park or more radically, develop a base close to the airport.
"Bricks and mortar don't make a team," says Dalton. "But we do want to give the team the best high performance facility that we can."
