As coach Tony Brown says, it is not all about seeking redress for its poor effort against Hawkes Bay last week.
Nor is it really about looking at the big picture and where Otago stands in the overall season.
For Brown and it his men, it is first and foremost about delivering for 80 minutes on the park.
''It is a crucial game for us but we just need to go back and play some good footy. Just get back to playing well,'' Brown said.
''We can't be making up for Hawkes Bay. That is done and finished. We just have to go back to the rugby that we know we can play.
''Mentally, we have to be ready, and physically, we have to be ready for the whole 80 minutes. Last week, mentally, I don't think we were there, especially at the start, and physically, we were not quite there either.''
Brown said the side had viewed tape of the 41-0 loss to Hawkes Bay and ''it had been a pretty tough watch''.
''No side wants to put on a performance like that. But that is professional sport. If you are a little bit off your game then these things happen.''
The Hawkes Bay game was the end of a 15-day period featuring four games, where much of the focus for the team was about getting bodies right and quickly focusing on the next match.
The side did not spend a lot of time on the training paddock and that showed in the end. This week has been about getting back to the fundamentals and more time on the practice field.
The ITM Cup is a competition which is over very quickly, so time on the training field becomes more valuable the more into the season a team gets. Teams have to adapt quickly or be left behind.
Otago must get its mojo back and it simply cannot let Waikato run. The Mooloos are a young and enterprising side, with plenty of dangerous backs.
Brown said his side had to be strong defensively and not allow the quick Waikato backs any room.
The visitors will like the hard and fast deck at Forsyth Barr Stadium so it is vital the home team dominates possession and keeps composed under pressure.
Hooker Sam Anderson-Heather has been promoted to a starting role and must be accurate with his throwing. Lock Tom Franklin has had a big workload over the past couple of months but is maturing as a player and will again lead Otago in the breakdown area.
Otago has dropped its last two games at home and will not want to make it three in a row.
If it drops this match then it can just about kiss goodbye to the semifinals, especially with a tough game against Tasman in Nelson next week.
Waikato is captained by former Otago halfback Brad Weber, who was not ranked in the top two halfbacks in Otago last year and shifted to Waikato. He has made every post a winner since then and has left many scratching their heads why he was left out of the Otago system.
A decision will be made today on who fills the lock reserve position on the Otago bench.
Otago v Waikato
FB Stadium, today, 2.35pm
Otago: Trent Renata, Marshall Suckling, Michael Collins, Tei Walden, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Hayden Parker, Nick Ealey, TJ Ioane, James Lentjes, Lee Allan (captain), Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Donald Brighouse, Sam Anderson-Heather, Aki Seiuli. Reserves: Liam Coltman, Michael Mata'afa, one to be named, Hugh Blake, Josh Renton, Peter Breen, Jayden Spence.
Waikato: Wharenui Hawera, Regan Ware, Jordan Payne, Anton Lienert-Brown, Joe Webber, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber (captain), Adam Burn, Zak Hohneck, Whetu Douglas, Jacob Skeen, Nick Ross, Josh Hohneck, Hame Faive, Loni Uhila. Reserves: Harry Jones, James McGougan, David Morgan, Zane Kapeli, Harrison Levien, Chaunsy Edwardson.
Referee: Shane McDermott (Bay of Plenty)
