Joseph, back in the saddle after seven years coaching Japan and one as the off-field head of Highlanders rugby, is hoeing into work with his squad at their pre-Christmas camp.
There is much to be done.
New players need to be assimilated, injury niggles need to be addressed, and base levels of fitness have to be established before the more game-specific work begins, and all this while Highlanders HQ is partly a building site as they invest in some redevelopment of their facilities.
Above all, Joseph wants to foster that mythical "Highlanders way" that he feels contributed so strongly to the team’s championship season nearly a decade ago.
"My first presentation to the guys was about how we really provide an opportunity for players and coaches at the Highlanders," he said yesterday.
"It’s a kind of land of opportunity. All I wanted to say to the players was, it’s always been like that. It’s always been like that for our rugby teams.
"We’ve got to basically build our own.
"The DNA is Highlanders rugby, but we’ve got to have our own strand of what that looks like. Because they’re a different bunch of guys."
Joseph highlighted the fact barely half a dozen of the 38-strong squad were actually from the Highlanders’ base city of Dunedin.
That was why it was important to surround the team with people such as assistant coaches Clarke Dermody and Ben Smith, and mentor turned assistant manager Nasi Manu, as they all embodied the Highlanders way.
"Bringing Corey Brown back [as assistant coach] is another one. Because they really get what it’s like here, because they’re from here, or have played here. So that’s a big part of it."
Joseph might be a familiar face in the role but he has consistently talked about the Highlanders needing to find some fresh ideas to close the gap to the heavyweights in Super Rugby.
The Highlanders were always challenged in terms of recruitment, and they had to work hard to convince professional players to ply their trade in the South.
About a dozen of those players are nursing injuries that are preventing them from training at the moment.
Star fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens has received some positive news two months after suffering his serious neck injury.
He is out of his brace and will rejoin the squad in the New Year, though it is still unclear when he might be able to return to action.
"He’s very positive around coming back to play rugby," Joseph said.
"But it is a broken neck, and it has been fused, and it’ll take a bit of time. I suspect the physical side of things . . . that’ll start feeling better quickly, so we’re told. But it’s that confidence, you know."
Joseph believes there is enough cover at fullback in the form of Finn Hurley, Sam Gilbert and new utility Taine Robinson, so the temporary cover for Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a flanker, Taranaki’s Michael Loft.
Rarely used Otago midfielder Joe Cooke is also a replacement player, as Jake Te Hiwi is coming back from a broken wrist and Thomas Umaga-Jensen has a niggly shoulder, while Taranaki halfback Adam Lennox and academy players like Tayne Harvey, Shaun Kempton and Kyan Rangitutia are among the others training with the squad.
Ethan de Groot is on All Blacks leave, and All Blacks XV lock Fabian Holland will be back on deck next week.
Joseph remains tight-lipped on who he will name captain following the departure of Billy Harmon.
That would not be revealed until the whole squad were together and getting nearer to actually playing a game.
