First five-eighths and playmaker Damian McKenzie said the Crusaders' success is built on their ability to lift their games in finals.
But in taking them on, McKenzie said the Chiefs have learnt what it is like to win in Christchurch.
"It's a great challenge for us and we're going to step towards it."
Preparation is centred on the accuracy that finals rugby demands and having the ability to maximise moments of opportunity.
"It's not going to be anything special that's going to happen. It's about the team now having the basic stuff and ensuring we nail that.
"In finals, the margins are smaller and opportunities are less. It's about being accurate in our game plan and going down there and ensuring we do that."
Captain Luke Jacobson said that while pressure was associated with preparing for a final, he was grateful for the Chiefs' chance.
"We've managed to get here, so I'm happy with that. We've got to own this week, and weekend."
Not many changes need to be made in how the team prepares.
"You know what works for you and you have got to keep executing that. The occasion rises. Both teams will rise but it doesn't change how you prepare during the week."
The Chiefs will concentrate on accuracy in their skill sets and discipline.
The lessons from their last two finals included a penalty count that was too high, and they knew they needed to be better in that area.
"We can't allow the other team to use access into our 22, and we've got to be clean."
While there was hurt in losing finals, it is a different year and a new competition.
"We want to win, and it doesn't matter what's happened in the past. We've set ourselves up well for this year and want to take home that trophy.
"The Crusaders are a great team, and a great team at home. They know what works well in finals footy."
While they had a 31-0 record of wins in finals football, that record would be broken sometime, and whether it was this weekend would be seen.
Jacobson said there had been no talk about it being coach Clayton McMillan's last game of his tenure.
"He will be the first to say it's not about him. It's about the Chiefs as a whole; it's bigger than any individual, and it's bigger than our players. It's our fans, wider community, management, the commercial team.
"He's been a huge influence since coming in, in his first year and taking us to the final. He was able to look at us from the outside and then give us some real direction and purpose by building a young group into what we're seeing now. He was right in the centre of making it all happen."