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Chiefs coach Baxter's 11-man spine

But the numbers also reveal that this stunning run has been built on consistency with the Englishman using just 39 players in the 90 League games played since he took over.

Since arriving in June 2012 Baxter has laid down a uniform pattern of having not more than 14 players starting at least 10 League games in each of those three seasons demonstrating just how much Chiefs have been stable in the last three years.

That well defined spine has had 11 players reaching double figures of starts in all of the three years that Baxter has been at the helm, stubbornly sticking with familiar faces even when the fickle voices in the stands were pushing for change.

In his first season (2012-13) at Naturena – when he won the League title – he used 26 players but only 13 started at least 10 games.

The cast of players that went into double figures in games started that season had Siboniso Gaxa, Willard Katsande, Itumeleng Khune, George Lebese, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Lehlohonolo Majoro, Tefu Mashamaite, Tsepo Masilela, Mulomowandau Mathoho, Kingston Nkhatha, Siyabonga Nkosi, Bernard Parker and Siphiwe Tshabalala. The other 13 players used that season started less than 10 games.

Then in his second year (2013-14) in charge – when he finished second – Baxter used 30 players but only 13 were again able to start at least 10 League games.

That group of men able to move out of single figures in games started that season had Gaxa, Katsande, Khune, Lebese, Letsholonyane, Mashamaite, Masilela, Mathoho, Nkhatha, Parker and Tshabalala with the only new entrants being Knowledge Musona and Morgan Gould.

Seventeen players started less than 10 league games with Kaizer Motaung Jnr and Philani Cele coming on as substitutes just once all season.

Then during this past season (2014-15) – in another League-winning season – 14 players started 10 games and above. In that list there was Gaxa again, Katsande again, Khune again, Lebese again, Letsholonyane again, Mashamaite again, Masilela again, Mathoho again, Nkhatha again, Parker again and Tshabalala again, with Mandla Masango, George Maluleka and Brilliant Khuzwayo the only new faces in that class of regulars.

The other 14 players that saw game-time in the League this past season all gathered less than 10 starts with Josta Dladla, Ovidy Karuru and Phakamani Mngadi all used just once as substitutes all season, while David Zulu and Hendrik Ekstein also only played off the bench.

Of the 90 games played over the last three years Gaxa has 81 starts, Katsande 76, Khune 65, Lebese 53, Letsholonyane 79, Mashamaite 86, Masilela 67, Mathoho 68, Nkhatha 53, Parker 72 and Tshabalala 76. And of these 11 men that have established themselves as the spine of the Chiefs team under Baxter only Nkhatha has left while Khune and Mashamaite have their continued stay hanging on the fence as they are yet to sign new deals.

As Chiefs officially begin their off-season they should be reminded that ‘if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it’.

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