2008 Chiefs squad: Ben Castle, Simms Davison, Tanerau Latimer, Jamie Nutbrown (BOP), Ben May (Tasman), Craig West, Aled de Malmanche, Tom Willis, Jono Gibbes, Toby Lynn, Kevin O'Neill, Sione Lauaki, Liam Messam, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Richard Kahui, Sosene Anesi, Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato), Kristian Ormsby, Tasesa Lavea, Lelia Masaga (Counties-Manukau), Tom Harding, Fafili Levave (Wellington), Hayden Hopgood (Canterbury), Callum Bruce (Otago), Viliame Waqaseduadua (North Harbour).

4 Bay players this time around and Mike Delany has been drafted into the Highlanders.

It looks like we have the No-Name Chiefs this time around with legendary players Levave, Hopgood, Harding, May and Bruce drafted in along with that guy with the long name from North Harbour. The loose forwards are packed with inexperience, the locks look unproven, the inside backs look dodgy while the outside backs are crammed with talent.

Foster again showed his reluctance to develop local talent (by which I mean talent from within the franchise rather than from Waikato) by drafting in 3 loose forwards while King and Bourke miss out. King will no doubt feature in the Sevens squad but it remains to be seen whether Colin Bourke will be around next year. Anthony Tahana and Murray Williams are the Bay Chiefs from 2007 who miss out this time. Tahana will be off overseas so good luck to a faithful servant of the Bay for many years.

This Chiefs squad looks desperately short of depth. If the first 15 can all stay fit, they will be uncompetitive - given the usual run of injuries they could be dancing with the desperates at the foot of the ladder.