A year ago, the glow from a World Cup triumph and a deep run by the New Zealand Warriors was still producing plenty of light and warmth.
Now, as 2010 approaches, it's back to square one for New Zealand rugby league fans, with both the country's two flagship teams stumbling over the past year.
The world champion Kiwis failed to make the final in what was effectively a three-horse race for the inaugural Four Nations title, while the Warriors also suffered a premature end to their campaign.
Of the two disappointments, the Warriors' fall was the tougher to bear.
They were out of realistic reckoning for the National Rugby League (NRL) playoffs with almost two months of the regular season still to run.
The club did have to come to terms with some tragic news at the start of the year, with the presumed drowning of Sonny Fai.
The promising second rower went missing while trying to save his brother and cousins at a west Auckland beach in January.
But the Warriors were also the bookies' pre-competition favourites for the NRL title and there was plenty of interest over the surprise return from retirement of club legend Stacey Jones.
The champion halfback delivered early on with a matchwinning performance in round two against Manly.
But as the weeks wore on, he began to attract his critics and at season's end, at 33, he decided to hang up his boots for good after his 261st appearance for the club.
The poor results -- seven wins, 15 defeats and two draws -- left the Warriors languishing in 14th spot on the 16-team table.
As part of a more rigorous than normal end-of-year review, outside observers were recruited in the form of former Kiwis Hugh McGahan, Awen Guttenbeil and Monty Betham, and world championship-winning softballer Dean Rice.
Coach Ivan Cleary, whose contract had been extended to 2012 in mid-season, said a robust process was "absolutely justified".
"We're pretty open to finding out better ways to do things and obviously change is something that's going to have to happen around here."
Change did occur, in both the management and coaching set-up, and there was also a shock player announcement in November.
Prop Steve Price, skipper since his arrival from the Bulldogs before the 2005 season and who passed the milestone of 300 NRL matches in March, was relieved of the captaincy, with Simon Mannering taking over.
The club's explanation was that the time was right to blood a long-term replacement while Price, who at 35 has one year left on his contract, was still with the Warriors.
However, there was speculation that Price's desire to continue with representative football for Queensland and might have been a factor in the decision.
On the international front, the Kiwis, under new skipper Benji Marshall, suffered a 38-10 defeat at the hands of the Kangaroos in Brisbane in May.
The New Zealanders, who no longer had master coach Wayne Bennett as assistant to Stephen Kearney, were expected to do better at the Four Nations, given the longer preparation time.
They began in impressive fashion, almost pulling off another famous victory over tournament favourites and eventual champions Australia, who salvaged a 20-20 draw in London with a late try.
The Kiwis followed up by overwhelming France by a record 62-12 in Toulouse, but then slipped up in what was effectively a knock-out semifinal against England in Huddersfield, going down 20-12.
Off the field, after a period of soul searching, the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) announced wide-ranging changes to the way the sport is administered.
The changes followed an independent review, which Government funding agency Sparc had proposed because of concerns over league's governance, management, financial sustainability and lack of a strategic plan.
The review was headed by businessman Sir John Anderson who released a report that was critical of the state of the game and made a number of recommendations, which were accepted by the NZRL.
Since then, a new board structure and regional set-up, with the country divided into seven zones, have been established.
A new chairman, Scott Carter, has been appointed, and the position of chief executive created and filled by Scottish-born Aucklander Jim Doyle.
A revamped senior management team has also been put in place with the aim of rebuilding league's public image, securing significant sponsorship and improving the NZRL's relationship with members and the grass roots.
NZPA