The All Blacks out class the Wallabies, Auckland win the Mitre 10 cup final in front of 20,000 at Eden park and the Warriors ponder what to do with Shaun Johnson.
Don't expect a conclusion to the Shaun Johnson situation at the Warriors for at least two to three months.
There's no quick fix, especially given the timing, and it's unlikely to be resolved until at least the middle of January.
That lessens the chances of him leaving before the end of his current contract, which expires in November next year, unless there is a strong offer put on the table from an Australian outfit in the intervening period.
Despite some suggestions in the Australian media, the Herald understands there is no interest in either Mitchell Moses or Corey Norman at the Warriors.
Both Parramatta halves are off contract at the end of next season – and it's believed the Eels would be open to granting either player an early release – but neither fit in the Warriors plans.
There aren't many other options around for the 2019 season, which lessens the chance of a swap deal for Johnson, should both the player and club decide that his time is up at Mt Smart.
Johnson won't return from the Kiwis tour of England until the second half of November, before going on his mandated six-week break, after his heavy schedule since January this year.
He won't be back at the club for pre-season training until the new year, and only then can he sit down with coach Stephen Kearney and other members of the football staff to discuss his future.
But, whether it was intentional or not, the club hierarchy has unwittingly created a saga that will burn away for weeks.
Shaun Johnson looks on. Photo / Getty
By going public with their doubts on the halfback, they have turned on a spotlight that otherwise wouldn't really have been there.
Plenty of players – even high profile ones – go unsigned beyond the November 1 deadline.
It often doesn't raise an eyebrow, especially with the nature of the league calendar.
Issac Luke didn't re-sign until earlier this month, and discussions didn't even start until well into the season.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck inked a new deal in February, after being convinced of the Warriors' potential for improvement.
Johnson's NRL commitments finished in the middle of September, as the players completed tests and post-season reviews in the week following their semifinal exit.
After a brief break, Johnson was back in Kiwis mode by the first week of October.
That doesn't leave much room for the kind of detailed discussions required, when deciding about the future of a marquee player.
Johnson will currently be focused on turning the series around against England, but will have a lot to ponder sitting in his hotel room in Liverpool.
His long term partner and fiancé, Silver Fern Kayla Cullen, is firmly established in Auckland. She's one of the senior players at the Mystics but probably wouldn't be eligible for a Maria Folau-style exemption from Netball New Zealand to play in Australia and still represent the Silver Ferns, because she hasn't played enough tests.
While there is expected to be a high level of interest in Johnson from across the Tasman – especially for the 2020 season – the 28-year-old's first preference will be to stay in Auckland, but only if a deal can be arranged that suits both parties.
