There were times this year when the Highlanders gave their patient fans genuine reason to feel a little flutter of excitement in their hearts.
It might have been basically every time Caleb Tangitau, the most exciting outside back prospect in New Zealand rugby, touched the ball.
It could have been watching Timoci Tavatavanawai swat defenders aside like they were made of candy floss, or seeing the wildly entertaining Adam Lennox scooting off for a run from halfback.
Or, if supporters were that way inclined, the bits that really got the juices flowing might have been Ethan de Groot destroying another opposition scrum or TK Howden tackling like a man possessed.
Let the record show the Highlanders played some decent rugby in 2026 and again proved they possess some star power on the field.
But there was also a deflating sense of predictability about it all.
The Highlanders have again missed the playoffs and could finish as low as 10th, spared from a second consecutive wooden spoon thanks to the presence of a hopelessly outmatched and soon-to-fold Moana Pasifika team, if one last result goes against them while they have the bye.
They won five games, which at least was two more than last season. But while three of their losses had the predictable feeling of ‘‘the one that got away’’ — margins of three, four and seven points — six defeats were by double figures, including four by 17 points or more.
It is therefore hard to say with certainty that the Highlanders made significant progress this year.
Mitigating factors remain. The Highlanders are a small-market team, lacking the resources and outright star power of the other four New Zealand clubs, and expectations perhaps have to be accordingly realistic. A couple of crucial injuries also did not help.
Nevertheless, it is entirely fair to ask if another season of middling results should be merely shrugged off.
The Highlanders were arguably less than the sum of their parts this year.
Consistency, or the lack of it, was a concern. There was a good spell here, a dominant quarter there, but no real signature dominant performance.
Their try-scoring rate (3.14 per game) was superior only to Moana Pasifika’s, yet they were second only to the Hurricanes in total defenders beaten, suggesting — like last season — they had an ability to create opportunities but lacked the finishing touch.
Critics have argued the Highlanders kick too much, and indeed they lead all Super Rugby as it stands with 28.4 kicks per game. But that rate is only marginally higher than the best two teams in the competition, the Hurricanes (27.5) and the Chiefs (27.8), indicating it is not the amount of kicking the Highlanders do that is the issue but the quality of what they deliver with the boot.
In terms of injuries, there is no doubt the loss of both Fabian Holland and Dylan Pledger on the eve of the season was impactful. Holland is the heart of the team — and would have surely made the lineout less wonky — and it is easy to imagine Pledger, even without having played a minute of Super Rugby, igniting the backline from halfback.
There is every reason to believe the Highlanders will be a better team in 2027 with Holland and Pledger on the field, Shannon Frizell back from Japan and All Blacks XV and Chiefs playmaker Josh Jacomb in the No 10 jersey.
It all started so well back on February 13.
The defending champion Crusaders were sent packing from Forsyth Barr Stadium as first five Cameron Millar nervelessly kicked a 47m penalty to seal a 25-23 win for the Highlanders.
That was followed by a spirited 26-23 loss to the powerful Chiefs and a more one-sided reverse against the Reds in Brisbane.
Win, loss, loss — remember that sequence, for it shall become quite familiar.
The Highlanders put away the Force in Dunedin and followed with losses that were respectable (to the Crusaders in Christchurch) and downright awful (to the Hurricanes in Dunedin).
The 50-7 hiding by the Hurricanes — yes, it must be acknowledged they are an extremely good team, and appear on track to win their second championship — was the heaviest defeat for the Highlanders in 30 years.
A cracking first half led to victory over Moana Pasifika, although the Highlanders faded nearly as rapidly as the North Harbour Stadium lights, before bonus-point losses to the Brumbies and Blues.
Victory at home over Moana Pasifika was followed by a loss to the Fijian Drua in Ba in a most forgettable game, and victory at home over the Waratahs was followed by heavy away losses to the Chiefs and Hurricanes to end the season.
A point that has to be made here is that the Highlanders have won just four of their past 21 away games.
All four of those wins were over Moana Pasifika, and they cease to exist after this weekend.
The Highlanders again got excellent service from their outside backs.
Tangitau was simply electric — and everybody’s heart sank when he succumbed to injury late in the season — Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens started and finished the season exceptionally well and Jona Nareki stayed healthy and consistent.
Tavatavanawai produced a second season of destructive form, and if he seemed a little gassed at points over the final rounds, it was no wonder. He is a special talent who lifts everyone around him.
A surprise package was Jonah Lowe, who mostly switched to centre and made a fine job of it.
Millar finally got a season of being unchallenged as the leading first five, and while he is not the sort of player to produce Damian McKenzie-levels of open-play excitement, he does everything well, and it will be a shame if he does not return in 2027.
Lennox was the pick of the halfbacks, but the No 9 jersey moved around a lot. Folau Fakatava appears to have plateaued.
Howden was the pick of the loose forwards — he also covered lock — but Lucas Casey made a late charge to illuminate his potential. Nikora Broughton had his best season as a Highlander.
Lock was an issue in Holland’s absence. Mitch Dunshea grafted away, but the recruitment of experienced Argentine Tomas Lavanini was not a raging success.
At prop, de Groot and veteran partner Angus Ta’avao were hugely impressive, anchoring a scrum as good as any.
Jack Taylor cemented his status as the leading hooker. While his lineout throwing had some issues, he was a terrier around the field and also produced a couple of surprisingly good tactical kicks.
The Highlanders will rightly take a glass half-full view into next season, feeling they have the core of a competitive team, have recruited a top-shelf playmaker in Jacomb and have the future set with Holland, Casey, Pledger and others.
Super Rugby drops to 10 teams and it is not going to get any easier for the southern scrappers.
The Highlanders have a lot of love out there — getting an average crowd of 14,000 is genuinely impressive for this region in this sporting climate — but the people want to see consistent success.
