Otago netball's centenary has seen to that.
This weekend's celebrations have lured the likes of netball royalty Lesley Rumball, Anna Stanley and Belinda Colling to the city.
They are expected to be at the game and that should bring some nervousness to the Steel camp.
The above trio were part of the Otago and the Rebels teams which combined to win 22 consecutive games in 1998 and claim both the Caltex Cup and the Coca-Cola Cup.
If having former players like that on the sideline does not bring out your A game, nothing will.
''I'm sure it does but we can't let that affect us,'' Southby responded when asked if the centenary celebrations had upped the ante.
''It has to be about us sticking to our game plans and sticking to our processes. If we do that, we give ourselves every opportunity.
''We know the Pulse are a quality team. They have very experienced players in that group and they are starting to play more consistently.''
The Steel showed signs it might be getting closer to producing a complete performance in Monday night's clash with the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds nursed a lead for most of the game but the Steel rallied and scored the last two goals to clinch a dramatic draw.
Southby felt her side had learned from the thrilling encounter.
''I thought the girls showed some improvement last week, particularly in that ability to really stay in the game under pressure, and there was a lot of pressure on them last week.
''Lots of things didn't go there way but they didn't lose focus like they had in previous games. That was something that was a big step forward for us.''
The Pulse also had a draw in the previous round and both sides go into the game with a record of two wins, a draw and five losses.
The Steel holds on to third place in the New Zealand conference courtesy of a superior goal percentage, though.
A loss to the Pulse would make the Steel's prospects of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2010 that much harder.
There is no escaping one uncomfortable fact: Pulse coach Robyn Broughton has never been on the losing side in the fixture.
She led the Steel to eight consecutive wins over the Pulse before popping up in Wellington and guiding the Pulse to six consecutive wins over her former side.
Her departure from the Steel was not without controversy.
The Steel opted to advertise for a coach. Broughton was free to apply but joined the Pulse.
Pulse shooter Jodi Brown is another who might feel a little extra motivation after she was unwanted by the Steel following the 2014 campaign.
Both sides have their strength at one end.
The Steel has the best attacking record in the ANZ Championship with 61.25 goals per game, while the Pulse has been miserly on defence, conceding just 48.63 goals a game.
Steel v Pulse
Dunedin, today, 4.10pm
Head to head: Played 14, Steel 8, Pulse 6.
Greatest winning margins: Steel 24, Pulse 11.
