The Steel plays the unbeaten West Coast Fever early tomorrow morning (New Zealand time) for the Challenge Trophy - netball's version of the Ranfurly Shield.
In addition to the competition morphing into a conference based system this year, the Challenge Trophy was introduced.
A pre-season draw resulted in the Fever being crowned the inaugural holder, and the trophy will go on the line in each of its home games.
After the Fever defended it against the Northern Mystics last weekend, the Steel will have its work cut out in a city where it has not won.
However, Steel defender Storm Purvis said the prospect of winning the trophy was another dimension that would ''help the girls get up'' for the match.
''It's obviously new to the competition this year and we want to try and make that as exciting as possible,'' she said.
''That will be a good one to claim.
''We were watching [last weekend] and hoping the Mystics didn't win, so we would get a chance.''
While the Steel, the top New Zealand team through the first two rounds, has split its opening two games against the New South Wales Swifts and Mainland Tactix in Invercargill, the Fever has recorded two impressive wins.
The Perth-based franchise upset the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane in round one, before hammering the Mystics 67-51 at home last weekend.
If tomorrow morning's match is anything like last season's round four clash, when the Steel ended a three game losing streak with a thrilling 66-65 win in Invercargill, it will be a heart-stopper.
The Steel has not beaten the Fever in three attempts in Perth, having lost its last game in the city 68-56, in 2013.
A temperature close to 40degC greeted Steel players when they arrived in Perth on Thursday, Southby told the Otago Daily Times after training in the city yesterday.
The team trained at the match venue, which is not air-conditioned.
''Their legs were a little bit tired and they are jaded,'' Southby said.
''But they got better as the training went on. I think they just had to blow some cobwebs out to start with.''
After losing its attacking shape late in last weekend's big win against the Tactix, the team was focusing on maintaining its intensity and accuracy for tomorrow morning's match, Southby said.
Shooter Brooke Leaver, who has not yet seen the court this season due to a back injury, got through training this week but was unlikely to play.
''In another couple of trainings she will be back,'' Southby said.
''Some of it is just the girls getting used to her and what she can do, because she has missed a significant part of the pre-season.''
The Steel arrives home on Monday afternoon and will train on Tuesday and Thursday, before enjoying a bye next weekend.
Steel v Fever
Perth, tonight, 12.20am
Head to head: Played 7, Steel 3, Fever 4.
Greatest winning margins: Steel 15 goals, Fever 12 goals.
