They are two of the most dominant clubs in the city's rugby history, with Southern winning 21 banners and Dunedin nine.
Vercoe (28) is adamant Southern will win its 22nd championship banner.
"Of course we can win. We will win, " he said.
"Dunedin may be playing the form rugby at the moment but we have got a bit more experience and know how to front up on the day."
Southern's biggest problem will be to match the ball-winning skills of Dunedin lock Michael Gurran in the line-out.
"We have a couple of promising young locks in Simon Knight and James Stevenson," Vercoe said.
Southern is a proud club and has had a positive influence on Otago rugby through the efforts of the great Vic Cavanagh.
The banner win in 2007 was special.
"It was massive for the club," Vercoe said.
"It would be good to do it again in the club's 125th year."
A win would be special for Vercoe, who captained Southern in 2007 but was forced to watch the final because of his Otago commitments.
"It would be something I'd remember for the rest of my life," he said.
"It would be more special than the three banners I won with the Old Boys club in Christchurch."
McKee is equally confident Dunedin can win its 10th championship.
"We have been playing well in the last three weeks and have no injuries," McKee said.
"It boosts our confidence going into the final."
The big problem area for Dunedin during most of the season was the lack of a reliable goalkicker. But in the past two weeks, kickers Shaan Davis and Robbie Smith have been on target.
"We had a good goalkicker at the start of the season in Louis Tili but when he was injured it took us 14 weeks to find another one," McKee said.
The other big problem for Dunedin is how to combat Southern's front row of Warren Moffat, Vercoe and Scott Herriot.
"We've got a pretty good front row ourselves," McKee said. "Will Henry's in his fifth premier season and is no rookie. Kelsey Miller, in his first year, has been playing really good."
Dunedin last won the banner in 2005 and has finished runner-up in the past two years.
It is McKee's fourth final.
"We won a banner in my first premier year and I was the youngest in the team. This could be my last season for Dunedin and to be the captain of a banner-winning team would be special."
McKee leaves for Scotland next month to play eight months of rugby for a Dundee club.
THE FINAL
• Road to the final:
Dunedin
Lost to Alhambra-Union 40-29, beat Pirates 38-8, lost to University A 26-24, beat Green Island 18-17, drew with Southern 11-11, beat Kaikorai 29-9, beat Pirates 37-9, beat Southern 11-5, lost to University A 31-15, beat Green Island 41-0, beat Zingari-Richmond 34-11, lost to Alhambra-Union 13-10, lost to Harbour 5-0, beat Taieri 15-3, beat Harbour 29-3. Semifinal: beat Pirates 21-7.
Southern
Beat Zingari-Richmond 40-8, lost to Kaikorai 17-13, beat Harbour 24-10, beat Taieri 31-12, drew with Dunedin 11-11, lost to Harbour 23-5, beat Taieri 46-19, lost to Dunedin 11-5, beat Pirates 13-12, beat Kaikorai 11-8, beat University A 10-6, beat Green Island 25-7, beat Zingari-Richmond 14-0, beat Alhambra-Union 10-3, lost to Pirates 11-3. Semifinal: beat Alhambra-Union 20-19.
• The teams:
Dunedin
Robbie Smith, Tumua Ioane, Simon Davey, Michael Walding, Joe Bradley, Shaan Davis, Fraser Lau, Scott McKee (captain), Tim Fraser, Jon Crossan, Michael Gurran, Richard Thompson, Kelsey Miller, Sam Anderson-Heather, Will Henry. Reserves: Adam Duhig, David Smart, Andrew Mackintosh, Michael Douglas, Josh Hamilton, Nigel Graham, Louis Tili.
Southern
Apelu Alapati, Craig Sneddon, Lucky Mulipola, Nathan Johnston, Daryl Caldwell, Hamish McKenzie, Joe Burford, Cam Goodhue, Carl Anderson, Tom Preece, James Stevenson, Simon Knight, Warren Moffat, Jed Vercoe (captain), Scott Herriot. Reserves: David Ogilvie, Ean Griffiths, Sam Crompton, Ollie Spence, Bryce Hosie, Jono Hopkirk, Jarid Bradley.
Referee: Ross Barnett.
