Coach Aaron Mauger is adamant winning - or lack thereof - has had little impact on his decision to blow the whistle early on his time with Moana Pasifika.
The former All Blacks midfielder has confirmed he will walk away from the Auckland-based franchise at the end of this season, with a year left on his three-year contract.
"The results don't make a difference at all," he insisted.
The chance to spend time with his family has been crucial, but they're hardly results to write home about. With two more games in charge, the franchise's inaugural coach has won just two from 26 matches.
This season, they've conceded 539 points from their 12 winless fixtures. Newshub understands that's led to players being incredibly unhappy, creating an, at times, negative culture.
"It's always inevitable that when you've had as tough of a season as we have, there's going to be some challenges and some pain amongst the players and staff," said Moana Pasifika chief executive Pelenato Sakalia.
"Is that out of the ordinary? No."
Mauger concedes his tenure has been difficult.
"It has been tough," he said. "Often the mood of an environment can be dictated to by the scoreboard, so that's why it's important, for us, that it's not all about the scoreboard - it's about highlighting the growth along the way."
While the results may not show growth on the field, franchise officials are adamant they're improving. Sakalia also feels what they bring off it, particularly around fan engagement, means they've now earned a better seat at the table and deserve to be treated equitably.
"I would like to think that the combination of Moana Pasifika, plus Fijian Drua, is bringing in fresh elements to rugby, that it's enabling us to provide a better product," he said.
At the end of the day, winning - and happy players - would certainly make things a lot easier.
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