Taieri stumbled at the last hurdle and failed to get a rare three-peat in Dunedin club rugby last year.
Taieri won the banner in 2011 and 2012 and came within a point of getting its third win last year when it was beaten 21-20 by Dunedin in a thrilling club final at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
''Everyone was disappointed,'' captain Charlie O'Connell said.
Taieri has sat on both sides of the abyss in the past two years.
The rejuvenated club won its second banner - the first was held jointly with University A in 1955 - when it beat Harbour 12-6 in 2011.
The following year it sneaked home when a last-minute Hayden Parker penalty goal gave Taieri a 24-22 win against Dunedin.
Taieri has a strong squad again with promising players entering the ranks to replace 11 members of last year's squad who won't be back.
The biggest loss is Ben Nowell, who has returned to the family farm at Kurow.
A big gain is wing Dwayne Burrows, who played in all 11 games for Mid-Canterbury in the Heartland championship last year.
A recruit from last year's Taieri Colts is Josh Casey, a first five-eighth, who played for the Otago Sevens team this year.
