The table-topping Blues won't be taking the Brumbies lightly in their Super Rugby Pacific semi-final on Saturday at Eden Park.
The visitors were on the wrong side of a narrow loss in the last meeting between the two sides just a few weeks ago in Canberra.
Beauden Barrett slotted a drop goal after the hooter to give the Blues the win and clinch top spot on the Super Rugby ladder before the playoffs.
Blues forwards coach Tom Coventry is wary of a Brumbies backlash and believes the challenge is even greater this time around.
"It's pretty formidable. They were bloody good the last time we played them. It came down to a drop goal and I thought they actually had the upper edge on us at times," he said.
"I know they're pretty confident with the way they played against us and the upper hand they had at stages. It's a big challenge for us.
"We respect them deeply. They're a great side, they've been the benchmark for Australian Super Rugby teams for a while now.
"We're going to have to be at our very, very best. We weren't last time, but we managed to get through with a drop goal.
"They'll be confident, I've heard they're confident and they have no reason not to be, and for a team that's in the semi-finals, that's the way you need to approach it."
The Blues won't have to look far for inspiration for the occasion, with former greats of the team being regular visitors at the club of late.
Coventry said both past and present players have been reflecting on their season, and how important a positive result would be for the Auckland region.
"We had a neat team meeting and some of the boys got up there and spoke about their love of the game, growing up with a ball and just reminding ourselves how important this game is to us and our families," he said.
"We try to draw on some of the old boys from the club, they've been invited into breakfast over the course of the last month.
"They're all pretty proud of what the club has achieved so far. We're just trying to draw from the strength they bring to our young group."
There is hope that Blues captain Dalton Papalii could return for the final should they beat the Brumbies on Saturday.
The star flanker is in a race against time to prove his fitness after he had to get his appendix removed last week.
"It will be touch-and-go to get him ready to go next week but there's always a little bit of hope," Coventry said.
"I think young Fin [Finlay Christie] had his taken out and did it in 10 days, so Dalton's under a bit of pressure but we'll take it day-by-day."
Join us at 7pm, Saturday for live upddates of the Blues v Brumbies Super Rugby Pacific semi-final
