Two-time All-Ireland winner Michael Duignan believes that 2026 will see a "very new-look" Limerick team as John Kiely's side seek to recover from a quarter-final exit last season.
Limerick's unprecedented run in Munster ended last summer when Cork beat them in the TUS Gaelic Grounds after a penalty shootout, marking the first time that the county hadn't won the province since 2018.
A bigger shock was to come, however, as the most decorated team of the era were beaten by a 14-man Dublin in front of a disbelieving Croke Park crowd.
The result was taken as the strongest evidence yet that the great Limerick team of the late 10s/ early 20s was on the wane.
In the inter-county off-season, captain Declan Hannon announced his retirement while full-forward Seamus Flanagan was abruptly dropped off the panel.
They won the pre-season Munster Hurling League for the fourth time in six years, with a defence where Will O'Donoghue was the only long-established starter.
Provided the weather co-operates, Limerick will make their opening bow in the 2026 Allianz Hurling League away to Waterford this weekend and Duignan suggests the side may have a different feel.
"I think the first thing we're going to see is a very different Limerick team," Duignan said on the RTÉ GAA podcast.
"Like all great teams, it's very hard to change as you go. Liam Sheedy had the same issue with Tipp when he came back the second time.
"When you have such a strong starting 15 and you know them and you've such trust in them, to start leaving some of those lads off the team is very, very difficult.
"I was saying for the last two or three years, Limerick maybe needed to be freshening up the team.
"If you look at the Limerick panel now, there'd be a lot of players on it you mightn't know. I think there's upwards of 20 new players on the Limerick panel over the last two years that are only beginning to come through now onto the starting team.
"I think you're going to see a very new look Limerick team with a few changes on the starting team."
Alongside a change in personnel, the season may also see an alteration in their style.
Limerick's patented brand of precision, possession hurling, developed under their revered coach Paul Kinnerk, had powered their domination of the sport between 2018 and 2023.
But Duignan reckons they may have to evolve that game plan in the wake of two seasons without Liam MacCarthy.
"We're also maybe going to see a change in their style of hurling. Because it's maybe become a bit predictable how they play. Leaving two inside, a lot of short passing out the field. Teams started to really go after that.
"Having said that, if you look at the Dublin match, maybe they took it a bit for granted. And against Cork in the Munster final, they really had chances to win that as well.
"I was talking to John Kiely recently, they're very disappointed with the way last year panned out. And they're going to be very determined this year."
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