A quality first five-eighth, so crucial to any rugby team, is what the Highlanders have been wanting since classy All Black pivot Nick Evans left in 2007.
New coach Jamie Joseph duly delivered Slade, the polished Cantabrian, and with him the promise of a more steady hand guiding the Highlanders backline.
But even the best plans can go awry, and news that Slade is out for six weeks after sustaining a broken jaw in Saturday's pre-season game in Balclutha will not be welcomed by any Highlanders fan.
Joseph said Slade would be looking to get back on the field as quickly as possible and should not lose much fitness.
He could be back for the first game in South Africa, against the Bulls on March 6.
Slade looked composed in everything he did on Saturday and there is no doubt the loss of the first five is a massive jolt to the franchise.
It leaves two unproven players in contention for the No 10 jersey.
One (Lima Sopoaga) is very green; the other (Robbie Robinson) is slightly more seasoned but still some way off convincing as a playmaker at the top level.
Sopoaga is a player of genuine promise but it is a big ask to play at this level for someone just the second year out of school.
"Lima Sopoaga is an option there while Robbie Robinson has played a lot of rugby at 10 for Southland," Joseph said.
The coach did not have to look far for positives in his side's loss, as halfback Aaron Smith had a fine outing.
"This is the first time for him at this level and he did not look at all out of place. I had a good feeling about him when he was with the Maori team last year.He has been training well and that usually means you're going to play well."
Joseph was pleased with the first-half performance of his side.
"We wanted to play fairly direct - not get into that pattern of throwing the ball around everywhere and be drawn into playing a free-flowing, high-scoring game.
"Then in the second half we put a lot of new, younger guys into the team and there goes all your experience. But they had to be exposed to this level."
Joseph praised his side's effort near the end of the game in Balclutha, when it held its line intact for most of the final quarter as the Blues swarmed on to attack.
"There were a couple of bad reads in the second half on defence but that comes down to inexperience and the guys being fatigued."
He was pleased with the energy from his side and its ability to stay within the game plan in the first half.
He said it would have been nice to win - "no coach or player ever goes out to lose" - but the result was not important in a pre-season game.
Highlanders captain Jamie Mackintosh said the performance was a good benchmark to set for the season.
"I thought we played particularly well in the breakdown and phase play. [We] got a few turnovers and set the ball up," he said.
"The set piece is something we probably need to work on over the next week but it wasn't bad. The scrum probably needs a little bit of work on.
"But we had our width and shape for most of the game, although it was disappointing to lose in the final 10 minutes. We only started on defence last week so they is still plenty to do there."
Mackintosh, who has shed 5kg from the end of last season as he attempts to become more mobile on the field, said the side had something to start with.
"It was a nice benchmark to set and we now have a base to build from. We've got a lot more clarity in our phase play and there is plenty more to work on."
The Highlanders' next pre-season game is against the Chiefs in Taupo this Saturday.
Super 15 pre-season
The scores
Blues . . . 31
Nafi Tuitavake 2, Stephen Brett, Ash Dixon tries; Brett pen, 3 con, Lachie Munro con
Highlanders . . . 29
Shaun Treeby 2, Bronson Murray, Aaron Smith tries; Colin Slade pen, con, Lima Sopoaga 2 con
Halftime: Highlanders 15-10
Crowd: 3000
Four to shine
Halfback Aaron Smith: Nippy around the breakdown, and looked a veteran at this level, despite never having played a game at Super level.
Second five-eighth Shaun Treeby: Scored two tries and showed good footwork to beat the first man.
Lock Jarrad Hoeata: Got all round the paddock and made plenty of big hits on defence.
Flanker Adam Thomson: Of all years, this is the one for Thomson to do the business, and he made a positive start on Saturday, on both attack and defence.
