The Crusaders are excited by the former New Zealand under-20 lock who is the third Barrett sibling to play Super Rugby. And it was easy to see why - Barrett brought a dynamism and energy that was missing the previous week.
He and Luke Romano worked in tandem to take those tough yards around the fringes and it gave the Crusaders a better shape. They were able to play on the front foot and with Ryan Crotty straightening the attack and Israel Dagg looking sharper and more confident than he has in ages, the Crusaders were an altogether tougher proposition.
When they go forward before they go wide, they start to cause problems for the defence.
They might have finally realised that as they were keen to use Robbie Fruean at first receiver coming off his wing. Nothing fancy or complicated - the big man, all 110kg of him - taking the short pass at pace and steam rolling into the Highlanders midfield.
The Highlanders had to defend the inside channels. They had to man-up around the rucks and that left Colin Slade with a relatively free hand - which he played well.
He did his best in directing the runners and organising the forwards and he was careful to make sure he did his bit in fixing the defence. The intention and structure was all good from the Crusaders and, in time, as they settle into the season, their handling and timing will inevitably improve and they will be able to better exploit the space they create on the outsides.
There was an element of sympathy to be felt for the Highlanders. They normally relish fast, open games. They love a contest where the pace is frenetic and the flow constant.
But they didn't have the luxury of a game already under their belts. Most of them looked to be blowing overly hard after half an hour and, in that dangerous 10-minute period before halftime, they appeared to be digging worryingly deep.
Their scrambling defence was fantastic. They threw themselves into everything and three times on their own tryline they somehow managed to get a body or bodies under the Crusaders ball-carrier.
But it was easy to believe that effort was going to hit them later in the game, that for all their mental toughness, they weren't going to have the physical base to stay in the fight.
Easy to believe but entirely wrong. The Highlanders found their second wind. Waisake Naholo came into the game and started busting holes. Malakai Fekitoa with a yard of space also came into the game more and the momentum shifted.
The only question to be asked was whether the Highlanders had enough time and poise to overtake the Crusaders. They had all the possession, all the belief and all of the territory - but some of their flow was affected by their lack of game time together.
There were too many basic handling errors and sloppy moments that put them under pressure. They were nearly, but not quite there - all typical early-season stuff and they shouldn't be too disheartened. Look how much the Crusaders improved in a week.
Highlanders 20 (A. Smith, M. Fekitoa tries; L. Sopoaga 2 cons, 2 pens) Crusaders 26 (S. Barrett, J. McNicholl tries; C. Slade 2 cons, 4 pens). Halftime: 7-20.
