Chiefs playmaker Aaron Cruden was reluctant to admit it outright, but the Blues' form seems to have elevated them to a new level of respect among their peers.
On Saturday, Cruden's outfit will host the resurgent Auckland-based franchise in round two of Super Rugby Aotearoa, hoping to bounce back from a heartbreaking last-gasp loss to the Highlanders last week.
But the Blues don't present the relatively easy path to victory they once did and the 31-year-old admits a win would be a genuine measure of his side's championship credentials.
"This is why you play the game," Cruden tells Newshub. "You want to test yourself against the best and the Blues are certainly riding high at the moment.
"Even before the COVID-19 lockdown, they were tracking really well, and they had a massive crowd and a great win last weekend, so it's going to be a great battle. We're really excited by the challenge."
Sitting fourth on the overall Super Rugby ladder before coronavirus struck, the Blues picked up where they left off with a convincing 30-20 win over the Hurricanes in front of a manic Eden Park crowd on Sunday.
The Chiefs were able to get the better of the Blues in Super Rugby's opening round, when they claimed a 37-29 win in an action-packed contest in Auckland.
But now fully fit, with Barrett on board and a host of thriving young talent, they appear a much different proposition.
"I think they just seem to be gelling really well," notes Cruden. "Their cohesion, both in the forwards and backs, has been pretty smooth.
"They just seem to be playing what's in front of them."
Unsurprisingly, the addition of arguably the world's best back has had an immediate impact.
The Blues' decision to play Barrett at fullback and retain red-hot Otere Black at first-five in dual playmaker roles paid off, and Cruden says mitigating their impact this weekend will be critical to the Chiefs' hopes.
"It makes them really balanced. We just have to limit their opportunities, limit their time on the ball and if we can do that, hopefully things might be able to flow for us a bit better.
"In terms of controlling things, it does make it nice and easy - another playmaker on the field giving a solid voice, giving great direction and you're able to work off each other."
After trailing most of the contest, the Chiefs were a matter of seconds away from a gutsy come-from-behind win, courtesy of a late Damian McKenzie drop goal, until Bryn Gatland stepped up to slot a 38m pot of his own to seal a Highlanders win.
Defeat aside, Cruden insists there were plenty of encouraging signs with his team's play and a few adjustments should have them running on all cylinders on Saturday, where the return to a packed FMG Stadium will surely provide a sizable boost of its own.
"Sometimes after a loss, you can overthink things, but for us, we're certainly aware of a few areas that we didn't quite get right.
"If we can tidy those up, and tweak them here or there, that should help us be a bit more clinical on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
"It was amazing to be back last week and now we get to do it in front of our home crowd. Ticket sales are going well and we hope to see capacity, kids with painted faces and cow bells.
"Battle of the Bombays, what more could you ask for?"
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