He played only one season of Super Rugby before heading overseas.
He had been around the block, firstly with Auckland. But then with Northland and Tasman, before playing 16 Super Rugby games for the Chiefs in 2015. He also had four years in the All Blacks Sevens squad.
He played 70 games for Worcester between 2015-19 and another 26 for Toulon in 2019-20.
However, returning home last year, he continued a growing trend for players to return to play more rugby in New Zealand, whether at Super Rugby or national provincial championship level, before ending their careers.
Heem felt he was young enough at 32 to come back and resume playing. It was special to pick up a spot in his home town with the Blues.
"It's refreshing, it's enjoyable, and I'm happy to be home," he said.
It's also something Blues coach Leon MacDonald appreciated.
MacDonald said Heem was a coup for the Blues because he offered so much experience for a young rearguard with the likes of Zarn Sullivan, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lamb and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
"To have Bryce in the back three is critical. Last year Beaudy [Beauden Barrett] drove the back three and we need someone with some experience back there," he said.
He [Heem] had learned if he made a mistake, he moved on, and his next action was a good one, which was something younger players often hadn't appreciated. He was also able to put his experience to work solving problems on the go, MacDonald said.
It was a blow when players left New Zealand in their prime, but when others came back with something still to offer, it filled a void and helped get balance in teams.
Heem had been feeling a lack of try-scoring to date in the season, but to pick up three in one game on Saturday had been some relief, although he acknowledged the effort that went on inside him to get into the position to put his skills to use.
Heem said while rugby was rugby, there were small adjustments to be made when returning.
The skill level in New Zealand was a lot higher, and he said that made the game so much faster.
There were many young and talented players emerging. But all players in New Zealand were under pressure to perform because there was so much competition.
"When you go overseas, some of that pressure goes away because you are not competing for that top spot or attempting to go for the All Blacks and, I guess, you can relax a bit more overseas without that constant pressure at the top.
The intensity of Super Rugby Aotearoa was immense, and that was to be expected when five of the best teams in the world were competing against each other, week in and week out, he said.
"It's no easy competition. You have to be on the money every week, and every week is a real battle. I guess, in that sense, it is a huge difference compared to overseas where in England you've got 12 teams competing in the top-level where there is a bit of a difference between the bottom and the top.
But [in New Zealand] there's no breaks week-in and week-out, it's a real war out there," he said.
Heem said he didn't feel like the wheels were falling off, and he was still enjoying his rugby.
"I don't know how long I've got left, but as long as I'm enjoying it and the body's still going, I'll just keep going as well."