What pre-season?
Otago coach Deb Tasi-Cordtz described her side's pre-season, if you can call it that, as "patchy".
But perhaps a more accurate description would be non-existent.
With four players away with the New Zealand under-21 team, the Otago national championship side has had to build its team unity through osmosis.
Defenders Zoe Walker, Storm Purvis, shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit and, until she got injured, midcourter Stacey Peeters have all been in Australia on national duty.
"We haven't played any pre-season games. We've just been training among ourselves with those who are here," Tasi-Cordtz said.
"Those girls don't get back until Thursday night, so it has been a real patchy build-up, but we will be ready to go on Sunday.
"It is not like they haven't been playing netball, so we just need to get those combinations sorted."
Peeters returned home at the weekend after straining a muscle and is unlikely to be fit in time for Otago's opening match against Waikato at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin this Sunday.
Harriet Arbuckle shapes as the most likely replacement.
Otago captain Jodi Brown will definitely be missing, though.
The experienced shooter earned an international recall earlier this month and has had to stand down from provincial duty.
Steel midcourter Shannon Francois will take over the captaincy reins but Brown will not be replaced in the squad.
Instead, Otago will make do with three shooters.
Olivia Bates and Kate Shearer will compete for a starting spot alongside Selby-Rickit.
"Jodi is still training with us and still fully involved with the team. She just can't play.
"We will certainly miss her in the shooting circle and her leadership as well. But we have balance right through and it opens the door for some other young shooter, which is what NPC is about, really.
"Kate has been in and out of the team for the last couple of years and Olivia has performed well at age-group level, so it's an opportunity for them."
Tasi-Cordtz is in her third year with the Otago team and believes this team is stronger across the court than her previous sides.
"In the past, we've had goals of trying to make the top four but this year we are out to win it. We are not targeting teams - we want to win every game and feel we are in a position to be winning."
Otago should be well served, with former Australian international Demelza McCloud leading the strong defensive unit which includes her Steel team-mate Purvis.
Midcourters Francois and Gina Crampton are classy operators and goal shoot Selby-Rickit has performed extremely well in Otago colours.
