I DON'T know. Is that the fair answer?
Your sports editor has been very flattered since his return from a week's break visiting family in Nelson that so many people seem to think I would have the inside knowledge on tonight's Super 15 showdown between the Highlanders and Hurricanes.
From Nelson whanau, to texts from mates in Christchurch, back to colleagues in the Chronicle's offices, through the voice on the other end of a work call to Taihape, it's all been, "so, who have you got?"
Well, let's start with the historical numbers.
It is the first all-New Zealand final since the fog blanketed affair at Jade Stadium in 2006, when the Crusaders somehow got the periscope out and managed to find their way to the only try of the match to beat the Hurricanes 19-12 and lift the inaugural Super 14 crown.
In total, despite Kiwi teams being crowned champions in 12 of the 19 competitions, only four finals have been an all-Kiwi shootout.
The Highlanders sole trip to the big game was one such derby - the 1999 final at Carisbrook, remembered as the "Party at Tony Brown's Place" after the well-known Kelly Brown television commercial.
Clever Crusaders supporters twisted the slogan by telling punters to "dress in drag - wear Red 'n Black", and sure enough, it was the opposing No10, Andrew Mehrtens who crashed Brown's festivities, kicking his team to a 24-19 win.
Therefore, neither team can call on their championship statistics tonight, so neither will I.
Right, how about more recent history?
Back in February I wrote about the poor state of the "biggest under-achieving franchise in all Super Rugby" as Wellington rugby went through yet another management restructure in line with their new coaching team.
What a difference four months makes.
Those two former Sharks, Chris Boyd and John Plumtree, have introduced a bit of bite into the team from the capital, and while they will not have Cory Jane tonight and, as of press time, Ardie Savea remains 50:50, Boyd has other artists to call on from his Renaissance.
As my colleague Zaryd Wilson so accurately surmised last weekend, the brilliant All Black but toey little erratic clubman Ma'a Nonu has finally learned how to play Super Rugby.
But then look at the other side of the coin, Jamie Joseph's spare-parts heroes.
It's a story well trod over - the franchise who gets the scraps and leftovers from their over-supplied neighbours.
The sheep-shearers from Southland, the underrated dudes from Dunedin.
They have quietly spent three to four seasons welding themselves into a cohesive machine.
Really, on paper, there should be no more to Ben Smith's charges than the squad that finished 14th (of 15, remember) two years ago. But since when was a rugby game won with paper?
Lentjes, Dixon, Reddish, Ainley, Hohneck, Coltman. Who knew these names? The Wallaby-laden Warratahs pack does. They'll never forget them now.
So, following in the footsteps of the Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs, one of the two little teams that couldn't, finally will. Guaranteed.
Not making this easier, am I?
OK, so maybe if one side can't stand the heat, they should get out of the Cake Tin?
My poisoned pen February column took a swipe at all the rows and rows of empty yellow seats at Hurricanes matches.
Well, it will still be all-yellow tonight, but packed to the gunnels as the bandwagon has been truly jumped on in the past fortnight.
But when does a hostile crowd worry the southern men? I ran into them at Auckland Airport on Sunday as I took the long way back to Wanganui.
Do you know their official travel dress includes shorts? Which they looked quite comfortable wearing as all around them busy Aucklanders dashed around rugged-up in jackets.
Believe me, they can handle being fish out of water.
The Highlanders also have the best away-game support of any Kiwi team.
They are like the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL, who have expat fan bases all across the United States, created by those who left their city during the factory recessions of the 1970s but still love the team. The Highlanders call upon the old student crowd in every town they play, as former scarfies who returned home from Dunedin with their four-year degrees and hangovers often can't resist the chance to put the blue face paint back on.
For gosh sakes, I'm going in complete circles.
So, to put my head on the chopping block, I'm just going to go on the last seven days.
The Hurricanes got their semifinal handed to them by the Brumbies, who were absolutely reactive and gave nothing in return.
Meanwhile, the Highlanders forward grind and kicking tactics were brilliant against the Warratahs, who had to be beaten rather than just rolling over.
There's a price to be paid for that, the Highlanders gave it everything and may have already played their final.
Grand finals are won and lost on what's left in the petrol tank during those dying minutes, and in theory the Hurricanes should have a little more fuel in reserve. So the Canes to win. For sure. I think.