The Brumbies' stirring Super Rugby finals surge could finish before they even take the field on Saturday but it won't stop them throwing everything at the Chiefs.
Three successive wins, including the scalp of the Hurricanes last week, has sent spirits soaring in Canberra after the Brumbies lost eight of their first 11.
Wins over the Bulls, Sunwolves and Hurricanes have kept their slim play-off hopes on life support heading into a daunting clash in Hamilton.
Dan McKellar's men need a perfect final two weeks to finish in the top eight, with results elsewhere as important as anything else.
If the eighth-placed Melbourne Rebels beat the Queensland Reds on Friday, the 10th-placed Brumbies will need a virtual miracle to reach the finals for a sixth season in a row.
Whatever the permutations, it won't stop them adopting the attacking approach that confounded the Hurricanes in a first win over Kiwi opposition for two and a half years.
"Something we spoke about before the game was just not fearing failure," McKellar said.
"It was pleasing to get the monkey off the back with the New Zealand teams and now we've got to go over there and try to win one in Hamilton."
It's five seasons since the third-placed Chiefs have lost to any Australian team in Hamilton and more than a decade since the Brumbies have tasted success there.
They've come close, including the 27-22 loss in the 2013 final.
Props Nic Mayhew and Allan Alaalatoa have been restored and will hope to bring the impact that lock Rory Arnold achieved last week in his first appearance for more than a month.
Arnold, who scored a try and led a compelling Brumbies forward effort, says the Chiefs can't be put on a pedestal.
"It's not going to be easy but all the boys are in a good head space at the moment," he said.
"We've been building all year so it's good to get those three wins in a row but we can't get ahead of ourselves too far.
"The boys just want to finish the season strong and win a few in a row."
