OPINION: The Blues haven't entered a 'proper' Super Rugby season as one of the title favourites for quite a while.
Yes, they've been very good across the past two seasons and last year got their first bit of silverware since 2003, winning Super Rugby Trans Tasman.
But in 2022, the stakes are even higher. After locking a trophy away last year, the Blues will look to remove any asterisk that might've come with their trans-Tasman triumph by winning the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific.
After having their season-opener against Moana Pasifika postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak, the Blues get their campaign underway against the Hurricanes this weekend.
And they welcome some very handy reinforcements.
For one, Beauden Barrett returns to the fold. After last year recapturing the All Blacks form that made him the world's best player in 2016 and 2017, Barrett is back to run the Blues ship and he'll finally navigate from his preferred position at first-five, after mainly being used at fullback by coach Leon MacDonald previously.
He's going to have some handy talent outside him too. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will be the Blues second-five this year, partnering Rieko Ioane in the midfield.
While the former Warriors skipper will probably take some time to find his feet in the 15-man code, after making the switch from league, early reports out of the Blues camp are that he will be a force.
Throw in the return of Caleb Clarke, now-All Black Finlay Christie and a smattering of All Blacks in the forward pack - Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Dalton Papalii, Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu - not to mention the arrival of well-respected former Ireland coach and soon-to-be All Blacks selector Joe Schmidt, and the Blues have no excuses not to be legitimate title contenders this year.
If they can't, then where does the finger get pointed?
MacDonald must find a way to make this Blues machine tick, after proving over the last two years he has this team moving in the right direction.
But reasonable form and making the top eight will not be good enough in 2022. With this amount of talent, his team must be there at the very business end of the season.
Quite clearly, the Crusaders juggernaut will continue to roll on and the Chiefs, under the tutelage of Clayton McMillan, should be considered legitimate contenders, after a terrific Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign last year.
But the Blues have no excuses. None.
If they can't win a title with this amount of talent, when will they ever?
Ollie Ritchie is Newshub's rugby reporter. Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Blues v Hurricanes Super Rugby Pacific clash
