The under-pressure Blues coach, who has presided over one victory and six losses so far this season, has again rung the changes for the daunting trip to the Highlanders on Friday night.
The most surprising is the selection of midfielder Hadleigh Parkes, who played on the right wing in last week's defeat to the Sharks, at fullback in place of the injured Rudi Wulf.
The other eye-opener is the swapping of midfielder Benson Stanley and wing Rene Ranger, with the latter in his preferred centre role _ this after Lam admitted Ranger posted good numbers in the No11 shirt against the Sharks.
Yet another is the selection of 23-year-old Luke Braid as captain at openside flanker, with regular skipper Keven Mealamu ruled out with a calf injury. Braid's brother Daniel, who is still feeling the physical effects of the Eden Park match, has been named on the reserves bench.
Ali Williams returns to lock, but there is still no room in the starting XV for fellow All Black Piri Weepu.
George Moala returns from injury to play on the right wing in his first start for the franchise.
The Blues fullback cupboard is fairly bare after the injuries to Isaia Toeava (hip) and Wulf (shoulder), hence the selection of wider training group player Parkes, who acquitted himself well in the unfamiliar wing position last week.
"One of the things that has impressed us with Hadleigh is that whenever he has played he is a 100 per cent man,'' Lam said. "He goes from minute one to the end. He's very fit, he's got the biggest boot in the game.''
As for the selection of Braid as skipper, Lam said he consulted with old hands Tony Woodcock and Ali Williams first.
"Within the team he is definitely a leader,'' he said of Braid. "Losing Kevvy, I had a chat with Woody and Ali and they fully endorsed it. We know what he brings to this environment.''
Williams played only the last 25 minutes off the bench against the Sharks, but Lam said he was expecting a response from the out-of-form All Blacks lock.
"I'm confident we're going to see a bigger game from Ali. He's had six games to get into it. He's come off the bench and he's trained extremely well. The acid is on Ali and he knows that and it's a good game in a local derby to go out there and show what he's made of.''
Weepu, though, remains on the bench, Lam deciding to stick with the Alby Mathewson/Gareth Anscombe combination. That consistency, at least, will be reassuring for 20-year-old Anscombe and the Blues backs, if not for Weepu.
Lam's troops face a tough task against the Highlanders at Dunedin's indoor stadium. Jamie Joseph's men will be fresh from their bye and will have a point to prove following their loss to the Stormers the previous week.
"We're going to an opposite end of the spectrum with the Highlanders,'' Lam said. "They're at the top, they're going well and they're at the new stadium where a lot of the boys haven't played yet. It's an exciting challenge, it's a big challenge for us.''
Lam said the Blues would "fight fire with fire'' against the Highlanders but his next comment about the southerners is what his side is striving for and failing to achieve.
"They've built on their commitment as a team and they're playing good rugby.''
Blues team to play the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday at 7.35pm: Hadleigh Parkes, George Moala, Rene Ranger, Ma'a Nonu, Benson Stanley, Gareth Anscombe, Alby Mathewson, Peter Saili, Luke Braid (c), Chris Lowrey, Filo Paulo, Ali Williams, Charlie Faumuina, Tom McCartney, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: James Parsons, Tevita Mailau, Liaki Moli, Daniel Braid, Piri Weepu, Michael Hobbs, David Raikuna.
