How to Fix the Highlanders for Next Season?

So the Highlanders season is over - thankfully and mercifully. A dreadful season ended in probably the most apt way with the Highlanders throwing away a 34-7 lead at half-time to lose 38-37 to fellow cellar-dwellers, the Melbourne Rebels in front of a small crowd at AAMI Park.

After a pre-season that promised so much, the Highlanders' 2013 Super Rugby season was their worst since their bottom place finishing in 1997 - which may give Highlanders fans some hope for next season as they made their debut in the playoffs the following season.

An exodus is set to follow in the off season with Jamie Joseph set to ring the changes thick and fast to prevent a repeat of this year's disaster.

While the likes of Ben Smith, Brad Thorn, Tony Woodcock, Andrew Hore and in a surprise move, Tamati Ellison have committed to the Highlanders' cause for next season, question marks remain over whether Ma'a Nonu, John Hardie and Colin Slade will join Jamie Mackintosh, Kade Poki and Hosea Gear in the exodus from the Deep South from next season.

Nonu might be looking back at his time at the Highlanders soon

Nonu is off contract and after his discretions this season is not really wanted by Jamie Joseph while John Hardie and Colin Slade may move to boost their international careers - Hardie has been courted by Vern Cotter to play for Scotland while Colin Slade may move to the Crusaders to replace Dan Carter who will be on sabbatical next season.

Liam Coltman has stood out this season

The one positive to come out from this season for the Highlanders is the emergence of players who will be very valuable to the franchise for years to come, e.g. Liam Coltman, TJ Ioane, Jason Emery, Hayden Parker, Elliot Dixon and Fumiaki Tanaka shone in a tough season and the experience of losing will make them better players in the long run. These players along with Aaron and Ben Smith will be key to reversing the Highlanders' fortunes next season.

But there will be plenty of things to work on in the off-season for the Highlanders if they want to become a respectable force again.

Defence - as the last two games showed, the Highlanders defence is virtually non-existent. It is probably down to the way they like to play - they like to play a fast and often exciting brand of rugby but until Tamati Ellison came back, were largely ineffective and wore themselves out so much that in the 2nd half, they were run rugged by the opposition as shown tonight. The Highlanders must work on their tackling technique in the off-season having made the most missed tackles in the New Zealand conference.

Lineouts - the Highlanders lineouts were dreadful this season and need to be worked on - the loss of Adam Thomson here meant the loss of a consistent target in the lineouts and loss of what was once one of the Highlanders' most potent weapons. Coltman was superb with ball in hand but his lineouts were shaky at best - although this is one that can be easily fixed with plenty of training and practice in pre-season.

So bring on 2014 - I'm sure Jamie Joseph and the Highlanders can turn it around.