The Highlanders have announced Clarke Dermody, who has spent the past two years as head coach, is stepping down to the role of forwards coach, while former boss Jamie Joseph leaves his desk job for a second stint on the sidelines.
"I think it will be good," Harmon told the Otago Daily Times.
"It always seemed like that was going to happen. I think Jamie Joe made it pretty clear that he wanted to be back coaching.
"He’s tough, but he’s also a really well thought-out coach. Everything he does had a clear reason.
"I think it will be awesome for the young guys. There will be no place to hide. They will just have to get stuck in. And hopefully Jamie can help those young guys progress."
Harmon, at 29, was a grizzled veteran in a very green Highlanders squad this season.
He backs the club’s approach to invest in youth with a view to generating sustained success in a competition that makes it extremely difficult for small-market teams to progress.
"It’s a great starting point. There’s no reason they can’t be a top-performing team.
"It starts up top with the management and the owners, believing in the club and trying to push to be one of those top teams and compete for a title."
Harmon is back in his native Christchurch and will play out the NPC season for Canterbury before he, wife Chloe and 8-month-old daughter Flo head to Japan.
His top-level rugby career began with a dozen games for the Crusaders, but he found his home with the Highlanders, playing 47 games — and scoring six tries — over four seasons, the last two as captain.
A treasured memory was beating the Crusaders in his first season.
"There have been so many. Just being part of that team for four years and being able to play consistently and contribute to the team — that’s all you really want to do.
"I loved my time in Dunedin and my family loved it there as well. It was home for us, and I was grateful for the opportunity to go down there.
"It was huge for me and my career, just to play at that level and be with a team that backed me 100% and helped me grow."
But it was time to go, Harmon said.
The clock was ticking — openside flankers put themselves through the wringer every week — and the Japanese opportunity was too good to turn down.
It means Harmon will end his dream of playing for the All Blacks, and he is at peace with that.
"I gave my best to try to crack further honours, but unfortunately for me there has just been so much depth there.
"I’m always going to be proud of what I have achieved. I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.
"It would have been awesome to test myself at that next level, but it’s not how it panned out. I will just keep moving on."
Harmon got to visit his new club, the Yokohama Canon Eagles, while touring Japan recently with the Maori All Blacks.
The club offered a sound set-up and good coaching, the Japanese people were welcoming, and — last but not least — the food was a major attraction.
"My wife is excited. We’ve got lots of good mates that are already over there, so it’s not like we’re just jumping in the deep end and not knowing anyone.
"We’re both pretty excited to be going over there."
Barely five weeks have passed since a cloud descended on the Highlanders after their season ended.
Harmon spoke at the service for Connor Garden-Bachop after the young outside back died suddenly from a medical event.
"It was very sad. To get that news was real tragic.
"The Landers boys are real tight, and we got to connect and really celebrate Connor’s life. He was a massive loss to all rugby teams he was involved in.
"He wasn’t one of those guys that came in and stayed in the background. He was always front and centre of everything that was going on.
"I’m grateful I got to be a part of his life."
