What will other teams look like? How many new recruits are there? Who is the surprise package?
But if there is one thing Jason Forrest knows for certain, it is that North Otago are ready to "pull the trigger".
The Old Golds head coach has been putting his side through their paces the past six weeks and they finally get their campaign under way against Horowhenua-Kapiti in Oamaru tomorrow.
"We tried to get [the mix] right this year with some good locals and young guys," Forrest said.
"We think we’ve done that. This group’s come together really well."
They come into the Heartland season after three preseason games and Forrest felt there was plenty of promise among this year’s squad.
Experienced club players Mat Duff and Cameron Rowland will co-captain the side this year.
Duff has over 60 caps for the Old Golds, and while Rowland had little Heartland game time, they both held a lot of "mana" within their clubs.
They had different leadership styles —
"two different qualities around what they bring and how they lead a team around, which at this stage is going really, really well," Forrest said.
"The boys are just listening and buying into what they’ve put in front of them."
Former Southland Stags first five Greg Dyer has joined North Otago and his role in driving them around the park could be influential.
Dyer slotted in well, and added depth for the backline to play off.
Mike Williams played a similar role in getting the Old Golds in the right areas in 2019, when they won the Meads Cup.
"It’s awesome," Forrest said.
"We’re really hopeful that that’s what Greg’s going to do for us.
"A lot of other unions have had success when they’ve had that next sort of level first five in there.
"We’re just got to get the mix right around him and we think we’ve done that."
Wanaka’s Fergus Read, who returned from overseas and is classed as a local player, is also an intriguing signing and has been a physical presence at lock and in the back row.
Sam Walsh, a versatile and experienced back, has joined from Los Angeles in Major League Rugby.
They joined a core spine of local lads in Jake Greenslade, Epineri Logavatu, Tini Feke, Jake Matthews, Samu Babiau and more.
Things are a bit different for North Otago this year.
With the removal of the grandstand at Whitestone Contracting Stadium, the No1 ground is out of action, and they will play on No2 tomorrow.
The remaining three home games will be played in Weston, where the team will also train.
North Otago did not play Horowhenua-Kapiti last season, but thumped them 89-23 in Oamaru in 2022.
Horowhenua-Kapiti were a different team and beat Wairarapa-Bush 59-29 in their preseason clash last weekend.
"Predominantly, they’ve been big, they’ve been physical — we’re expecting that."
Forrest was excited to get their season started at home — home games have free entry — and hoped the community would turn out to get behind them.
