Here's what anyone can decipher at face value.
With only two losses in a sprint season from 10 games, Tasman, the poorer cousins of the mighty Crusaders franchise, will have a spring in their step against the visitors in the 7.35pm kick off tomorrow.
Add to that a 49-28 mauling of the Southland Stags last Saturday in the semifinal, albeit not the prettiest game from the top qualifiers.
On the other hand, the Magpies have four losses to finish in third place, a solitary point behind the second-placed Otago Razorbacks who they beat 29-24 in Dunedin on Sunday.
If anything, Hawke's Bay's semifinal victory shows play-off footy has no respect for constitutions built on such values as consistency and placings in a jostle to secure the top-four rungs on the ladder of eligibility to gain promotion.
No, it's simply a case of whoever 'turns up at the park on the day' with a burning desire to prove a point.
Sure, attributes such as discipline, preparation and passion are essential prerequisites but not necessarily the overriding factors in getting a team over the line, as it were.
Psychological advantages of the home turf and parochial fans can fuel that ardent desire but, again, they are not imperatively the ultimate catalyst to rugby heaven.
That propellant comes from within each player on a foundation of an intangible quality - belief.
It isn't emitted sporadically from a handful of so-called playmakers but something that should be oozing from everyone, especially at this stage of the national competition.
Fundamentally it boils down to how well the sum of the different parts of the squad has bought into the sales pitch of Magpies coach Craig Philpott and his assistant, Danny Lee.
Ditto Makos counterparts Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald.
With everyone bringing fragments of admirable skills to the collective cause at the start of a season, the onus is on Philpott, Lee and other pivotal stablehands to orchestrate some form of harmony, even if someone inadvertently strikes an errant chord on the yawning stage on the big day.
Philpott wholeheartedly attests to all of the above in some form or shape.
"If you talk to any coach, when you're down to the final, it comes down to any given game on any particular day ... and how you go for that 80 minutes."
Crunching numbers from a bygone season, Philpott believes, doesn't really count for much.
In an era when marquee players are footy-savvy up to Super Rugby level, home-ground ascendancy also becomes pretty marginalised simply because they know what it's like to live out of suitcases or press the mute button on boisterous opposition fans.
"It's not as big a factor because some of them are used to playing even in other countries so they pretty much have to focus on what's happening in the green rectangle," Philpott says.
In coaching parlance, he prefers to slip on the blinkers to shut out any peripheral distractions.
"It's about controlling the controllables because that's what'll influence the result."
Out go any thoughts of the inclement weather that put a spanner in the works in the 18-9 loss to the Makos at the same venue on September 22.
Coman, he feels, is on the mend but a decision will be pending at the captain's run today after they jet off to Nelson in the morning on a chartered flight.
Should Coman pull up lame with the knee injury incurred in the semifinal last Sunday, Philpott has no qualms about myriad leaders in the squad who can slip on the captain's armband with Karl Lowe the first cab off the rank in his 100th first-class outing before both of them jet off overseas to further their careers.
Injured second five Andrew Horrell is still 50-50 but Philpott reckons Adam Bradey will step in with aplomb.
All Blacks manager Darren Shand has opted not to release prop Ben Franks because he has been bracketed to start in Japan, therefore, attending the world champions' training this Saturday takes priority but it is equally imperative there's no risk of him picking up injuries.
The ABs have released Dominic Bird, Tom Taylor, Joe Moody and Luke Whitelock but there's little joy for the Wellington Lions who have been left twiddling their thumbs on the services of Julian Savea and Jeremy Thrush.
"We're used to living without Izzy (fullback Israel Dagg) because he plays every minute for the All Blacks.
"An opportunity with Ben, who has had five to 10 test minutes, would have been great but the All Blacks are the most important team in the country so we're happy to support them."
Philpott reckons having the Magpies on the road is a significant time to bond, forcing them to co-exist by default.
"The boys tend to play cards while some of the management like doing crossword puzzles - both cryptic and otherwise."
Then there's always the 'special uniform' to break the pre-match tension and hype to finals footy.
"We have an op-shop type of green shirt and jacket complete with an Art Deco-kind of hat for someone who's made a mistake. It's been shared around so most of them have worn it," he says with a laugh, adding prop Max Lahiff has that honour this time.
So what do Philpott and Lee do to chill out?
"It's all about the boys on the game day so we sometimes focus on the next game or watch previous games' clips."
Ah, but there's no game after tomorrow's final. What then?
"Oh, Danny and I will probably go to a gym for a workout or just stop for a cup of coffee somewhere."
Failing that, there's always the option for him and Lee to make small talk with the forwards and backs, respectively, on the park.
