KEY POINTS:
That faint humming noise you can hear floating up from the far southern reaches of the country is the sound of Highlanders fans praying their side will deliver them from another season of mediocrity and the mocking of all outside the borders.
Written off before they have kicked
a ball in anger, this is a Highlanders squad that needs, and has been forced to make, a completely fresh start.
Gone is the coach (new Blues assistant Greg Cooper), gone is the captain (Anton Oliver) and gone are about 20 other players, including those of the calibre of James Ryan, Josh Blackie, Clarke Dermody and that rather useful chap called Evans.
It's all over, then. The season is destined to become a train wreck.
Sound the death knell for the Highlanders franchise and relocate it to North Harbour.
Only that's not how we think in these parts. There's a little thing called southern pride that has helped other Otago-based teams punch above their weight, and occasionally it can go some way towards compensating for a lack of star power.
Glenn Moore is the new coach and he doesn't care if you don't know who he is. He's discarded the heavily debated Highlanders draft policy, scoured the provincial ranks for uncovered talent, and unveiled a fascinating collection of rejects, misfits, rookies, journeymen and complete unknowns.
The pack has obviously been gutted by defections and yet the Highlanders first-choice eight is actually bigger than last year's.
Tom Donnelly is fit again and fellow locks Isaac Ross and Hayden Triggs, both 2m tall, are good pick-ups from the draft.
Jamie Mackintosh and Clint Newland are both 1.9m, 130kg props.
There is still no massive gamebreaking Highlanders loose forward, no Sione Lauaki to terrorise opposition defences. But Steven Setephano is a good-looking prospect at No 8, Adam Thomson will relish the chance to stretch his long legs if the game opens up under the new rules, Alando Soakai is looking fitter than ever, and Hoani MacDonald, Tim Boys and Craig Newby will not shirk the dirty work.
In the backs, halfback Jimmy Cowan and winger Lucky Mulipola are the only regular starters left from last season. As usual, much revolves around the form of Cowan. He was at the peak of his game last year, named the New Zealand Super 14 player of the year and desperately unlucky not to make the World Cup.
Daniel Bowden is a genuinely exciting recruit for the Highlanders and Otago, and it is to be hoped he settles quickly to the demands of the first five position. Outside him, Johnny Leota, Niva Ta'auso and Brett Mather should create more punch in midfield, Mulipola developed well last year, Paul Williams is fit and eager and James Wilson keeps developing.
The big hope, though, is Fetu'u Vainikolo, the winger from Northland who could provide just the sort of lethal finishing the Highlanders have wanted for ages.
