The Highlanders will name their 37-man squad today and there appear to be no left-field signings or last-minute additions.
The days of players selected through drafts and horse trading between coaches for players have long gone.
It used to be coaches would spend the last couple of days - before the teams were finalised and then announced - in a room talking and trading over players with a bit of give and take.
A team may want a first five-eighth but to get him it may have been forced to release a third-string lock to another side. Teams were initially selected along provincial lines.
The advent of franchise direct contracting has seen an end to that and players are now signed to multi-year deals.
Today, when the Highlanders announce their squad for the 2014 season, the surprises will be few and far between. Players comings and going have been well signalled.
Policies such as players being selected only from the three provinces which make up the Highlanders - Otago, Southland and North Otago - and the draft being ignored, which the southern franchise introduced in 2007, have long gone.
The buzzword is about consistency in selection and keeping the same group together. Provincial loyalty - from both players and coaches - has long gone.
The Highlanders had players from 11 different provinces last season, while the Chiefs had players from 13 provinces.
Under the new collective agreement, players can no longer be delisted.
The Highlanders have had some notable departures since the disappointing 2013 season ended on a lowly note with a loss to the Rebels in Melbourne in July.
The franchise has shed some big names, with the likes of Ma'a Nonu, Tony Woodcock and Andrew Hore all passing through the departure door.
That has freed up some cash but the franchise has deliberately not gone head-hunting for big stars. There must be doubts on how many big-name players would have come south, anyway.
The franchise has retained 20 players from its squad which began the 2013 season and has announced further signings over the past couple of months.
In the past two weeks, coaches have been finalising squads and the Highlanders are believed to have at least 30 players signed for next season.
They have not confirmed the signing of midfield backs Winston Stanley and Malakai Fekitoa or first five-eighth Willie Ripia, but they are expected to do so today.
The Highlanders will name 37 players, as the five players in the wider training group are also to be named.
Included in that wider list are believed to be the third halfbacks and hookers for the squad.
Wellington's Frae Wilson is in contention to come back for a second year as the back-up halfback, while in the frame for the hooking berth are Hawkes Bay rake Ged Robinson and Otago's Sam Anderson-Heather.
One player not in the picture for the Highlanders is wayward Wallaby James O'Connor. He was a popular rumour over the past month to be coming south but was never a goer.
It was announced yesterday O'Connor is to join London Irish.
