Star has lost four straight games and sits bottom of the Southland premier club standings, but player-coach Mark McHugh is not reaching for the panic button.
The Waverley Park lads made an encouraging start to the season with two wins before then going on a run of four losses.
McHugh said it had been a disruptive start to the season but he was confident that with a full contingent to work with his team would still be a threat in 2018.
Star has had its fair share of injuries and players unavailable to date this season. Last season's Stags captain, Brayden Mitchell, headlines the injury list as he nurses a neck problem.
Mana Harrison and Tama Toomata have played limited roles during the early stages of the season as they prepared for the Fight 4 Kidz charity boxing event.
Key tight forwards Morgan Mitchell and Manaaki Selby-Rickit have also missed games because of Highlanders development duties.
Mitchell will be unavailable for tomorrow's showdown with former club Eastern-Northern Barbarians as the tighthead prop has been summoned to Dunedin to warm up with the Highlanders before their Super Rugby game against the Lions.
Star was dealt a blow when it lost twin brothers Jordan and Sam Stewart. McHugh said the side was planning to base much of the 2018 season around the pair.
Jordan, a loose forward, opted to head to Manawatu to try his luck in a different province before the start of the club season. One game into the Southland club season Sam, a hooker, then headed to Manawatu as well.
Sam has since been signed by the Manawatu Turbos, while Jordan continues to state his case.
"That was massive for us, losing them. It is not just a big loss for the Star Rugby Club, but also a loss for Southland rugby. I believe they could have gone on to play 50 games for Southland," McHugh said.
McHugh has played close to 270 games in the blue and white jersey and indicated last year he was retiring and transitioning into the coaching ranks.
He did say he would pull on his boots if his beloved club was stuck and through the loss of the Stewart boys, and various players injured or unavailable, that is just what has eventuated.
"I feel ancient," McHugh joked.
"There is literally a guy in the team [Josh Mason] who wasn't born when I played my first game.
"But it has been good. The young guys will always start when they are available, but if I'm needed to step in I can."
Star has eight players in the Southland under-19 squad with five of them regular starters for their club.
It is that statistic which McHugh points to when suggesting Star is heading in the right direction.
McHugh and Jason Harrison are coaching Star this season, but experienced coach Mark Tinnock has also been on hand to help point it in the right direction as a technical adviser.
"He has been great for us," McHugh said.
Star's next assignment will be against the Barbarians at Waverley Park tomorrow, which is its club day.
Star's junior teams and the club's three senior teams will all play at home.
In other premier fixtures tomorrow, Blues hosts Marist, while Pirates-Old Boys and Woodlands will meet at Woodlands.
- Logan Savory