KEY POINTS:
The Blues are braced for more defections later this year when it is likely at least three more players will head overseas.
That could leave the Blues looking for as many as 10 new players for next season as Isa Nacewa, Troy Flavell, Nick Evans and David Smith have already confirmed they are leaving while Justin Collins, Danny Lee and Nick White are undecided about whether they will carry on or retire.
"We are certainly aware that a few more players are considering their options," said Blues chief executive Andy Dalton.
"In a post World Cup year there are always a number of players who are hanging around to see if they are selected for the All Blacks."
Daniel Braid has spoken of his desire to head off-shore if he doesn't add to his tally of three test caps this year and Jerome Kaino is also believed to be waiting to see what happens on the test front.
Almost 28, Braid has been in the Auckland squad since 2001 and admits that it is only the prospect of winning an All Black jersey that will keep him here.
Kaino, still only 24, has enjoyed one of his better campaigns and will certainly be in the All Black frame. If he misses the first test squad of the year he would still be a strong contender to travel at the end of the year when the All Blacks take an extended party on their Grand Slam tour.
Against that, though, he is thought to have some serious offers on the table to play in Europe. Ben Atiga is another thought to be looking overseas.
The Blues also suffered a clear-out at the end of last year when Doug Howlett, Luke McAlister, Angus MacDonald, Greg Rawlinson and Saimone Taumoepeau headed off-shore while Derren Witcombe, Steve Devine and David Gibson were forced to retire through injury.
Such big turnovers in consecutive years will make it tough for whoever succeeds David Nucifora as coach in 2009, but Dalton says: "We have been aware for some time that we are in a global market. The landscape we are in means that we have to get our talent identification process right and we have to make sure we have players coming through all the time.
"You just don't know what will happen from one year to the next and that makes continuity hard, which is challenging because continuity is important. Look at the teams that have had continuity and that is probably reflected in their performances.
"We have been lucky in recent years that we have had a nucleus of senior players, guys like Gus Collins, Nick White, Isa Nacewa and before that Steve Devine, David Gibson and Derren Witcombe.
"It is a little unsettling having to make so many changes but I don't think that is going to change. I don't think this is a one-year thing," says Dalton.
"It now seems like a trend that players will look offshore earlier in their careers and that more of them are looking to do that."
Dalton says the franchise will shortly advertise for a new coach, with the appointment expected to be confirmed in late June or early July.
The first task of the new man will be to assess just who is staying and who is leaving the franchise and then identify players who can step up to fill the holes.
