Incoming coach Mark Brown has given assurances Otago will hit the ground running when the domestic competition resumes on August 2.
While the neighbouring Southland Stags have drip-fed the announcements of no fewer than 31 player signings in recent weeks, and Taranaki unveiled their squad this week, and Hawke’s Bay just dropped the big news they had hooked Moana Pasifika star Miracle Fai’ilagi, there has been close to radio silence from Otago.
The union is waiting to announce its squad in full at a breakfast on Tuesday.
"There are probably one or two positions we’re just literally in the process of finalising now, so it’s just slightly premature to release them until we get that paperwork and the administrative side sorted out," Brown said.
"By and large, it’ll come as no surprise. It’s a pretty stable squad, to be fair."
One position of glaring need is lock.
It seems highly unlikely new All Black Fabian Holland will be seen in an Otago jersey any time soon, Ale Aho is in Australia, and Sam Fischli has joined the Stags.
Brown, who replaces Tom Donnelly, said Otago had sought a replacement for Holland "that is sort of Super Rugby quality" and an announcement was expected soon.
Also likely to be missing is the little whizz kid at the back.
Fleet-footed Finn Hurley was making good progress from the quad injury that stymied his season with the Highlanders when he suffered a recurrence of the issue, Brown said.
"It’s a bit unfortunate for Finn. It’s the same sort of rehab period, probably about 12 weeks, so it’ll be touch and go whether he’s available, and even if he is, we’ll make a decision closer to the time if he’s used or not.
"He’s obviously an excitement machine but he’s got a big future ahead of him and we don’t want him back prematurely if he’s going to be at risk."
Fellow youngster Josh Whaanga is out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury, but star winger Jona Nareki is on the comeback trail after having a knee tidied up near the end of the Highlanders season.
"Jona is probably ahead of schedule but whether that means he’s available for the first couple of weeks, we’ll have to leave that with the medical team just a bit closer to the time.
"Again, he’s one who’s had a bit of rotten luck with his injuries and I’m really keen to set him up to have a big year for Otago and we don’t want to rush anything."
Holland, Christian Lio-Willie and George Bower are with the All Blacks, and rising halfback Dylan Pledger is in Italy with the New Zealand under-20 team, but most of the other contracted players are assembling with the Otago coaching staff this week.
Brown said a big focus in recent weeks had been ensuring a wider pool of club players would be ready when called on to bolster the NPC ranks.
He was happy enough with what he saw in Dunedin club rugby this season.
"Obviously, you look at the table, and there’s a couple of teams that have fallen away, and a lot of that’s due to injury.
"There’s been a spate of injury throughout the competition, which is unfortunate.
"But the standard’s been high and very competitive and that’s sort of played out with how close it’s been."
Otago’s only preseason game is against Southland in Dunedin on July 18.
A training camp and internal hit-out in Central Otago will follow before the NPC opener in front of 8000 frenzied Southlanders on Stag Day in Invercargill on August 2.
The age-old debate over whether players should be left in club rugby teams for playoff games or siphoned off to prepare for a provincial season appears to have been settled.
All players who were fit and available would see out the season for their respective clubs, Brown said.
"The key message is that club rugby is important and a lot of these guys have put a lot of work into their clubs throughout the year.
"I think it’s only fair on both the clubs and the players that they get to see that through.
"Guys play rugby to put the effort in and ... to take the opportunity of a reward, particularly a club championship, which is not easy to come by."
