While the four Bartercard Baywide semi-finalists have been found, the top four form in recent weeks, would suggest that a crystal ball is needed to select the championship winner.

Rotoiti grabbed a place in the semi-finals, when they got past Opotiki at Emery Park. The victory over the Eastern Bay side was the Lakesiders first win since the last weekend in May.

It is the final pre-season game over in Whakatane on Friday. We look to have some real depth this season with McCashin, Burleigh and Perrin all out injured but a strong looking starting XV and the likes of McGougan, Bourke, Moa and Masaga on the bench. The Naki have made some signings with the likes of Baker, Taylor, Pisi, Smith, Keats giving them almost a completely new backline.

Bay of Plenty Steamers v Taranaki @ Rugby Park, Whakatane - 3pm Kick Off
1 Joe Savage 2 John Pareanga 3 Josh Hohneck 4 Luke Andrews 5 Culum Retallick 6 Luke Braid 7 Tanerau Latimer (captain) 8 Solomon King 9 Chad Tuoro 10 Dan Waenga 11 Jason Hona 12 Grant McQuoid 13 Ben Smith 14 Lance MacDonald 15 Toby Arnold.
Reserves: Simon Chisholm, James McGougan, Aiden Kuka, Colin Bourke, Taniela Moa, Cory Aporo, Lelia Masaga, Sam Cane.

Taranaki:
Kurt Baker, Andre Taylor, George Pisi, Jayden Hayward, David Smith, Willie Ripia, Tyson Keats, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Souness, Samuela Vunisa, Craig Clarke (captain), James Broadhurst, Shane Cleaver, Laurence Corlett, Carl Carmichael. Reserves: Timo Tutavaha, Michael Bent, Kane Barrett, Leon Power, Chris Walker, Brett Goodin, Beauden Barrett, Isaia Tuifua, Scott Ireland.

Luke Braid is set to become the first big beneficiary of rugby's new central contracting system.

The 21-year-old flanker has signed to play for the Blues in the inaugural Super 15 season next year after 10 games for the Chiefs, linking with older brother Daniel at the Auckland-based franchise for the first time.

Bay of Plenty's first-five dilemma may not have been completely solved but Dan Waenga has done his ITM Cup chances no harm at all.

Waenga helped the Steamers to an impressive 44-34 pre-season win over Hawke's Bay in Napier yesterday, after initially starting at second-five.