The winger has scored eight tries including the only one against the Bulls last week as he's put his issues of last year behind him.
It's been a test of character in 2012 and he's responded by fighting his way back into the All Blacks and helping the Crusaders into the first NZ V NZ Super semi-final in three seasons.
The Super title would be the perfect reward - but there's a job to do in Hamilton first.
The 23-year-old, who tasted two play-off series with the Hurricanes before joining the Crusaders, said he was "relatively happy" with his form this year.
"But I just know I've a lot more to offer, and hopefully it's this Friday I can pull out a goodie!" he said.
Even in his short career he feels it's become tougher for wingers to score because defences have improved.
"When I first started playing you used to get a lot of those tries just on the end of the chain from other backs, but teams are getting a lot better at holding and sliding these days, so a lot more of our tries are coming from working around the middle of the field," he said.
"Fortunately that's one of my strengths at times - I can get into the game other than just standing out wide."
Guildford said if the Crusaders can shut down the Chiefs' young forward pack and their halves, that would be key to winning, but they also
needed to bring the same or even more intensity in defence that they did against the Bulls.
"I don't know if the Chiefs have really been put under much pressure this year, so I think we can really put them under a hell of a lot of pressure, then hopefully it will cause them to make mistakes. In terms of us, we need to do the basics really well and keep it simple."
The Crusaders are glowing after conceding only seven penalties against the Bulls, and Guildford said that sort of discipline would be important again.
"In the past we've probably given away double figure penalties every game - to have only seven last week is huge, and I think if we can keep it at that standard then it will nullify a lot of the Chiefs' game. And if we can attack the breakdown effectively and legally, then that will be great for us."
While some people including Todd Blackadder have predicted a massive Chiefs' onslaught in the first 20min, Guildford said the pressure would be on for 80.
"They'll throw it at us for the whole 80. You've seen how they played all season, a couple of hiccups at the end, but they're a quality side. We're not taking them for granted at all. I'll be playing for the 80 anyway!"
It's one sign of the seriousness about this match that although Hawkes Bay man Guildford and other players have close mates in the opposing team, there has been no texting back and forth this week.
"Both camps are keeping in pretty quiet between each other. It's huge game for both teams so we are both pretty focused."
Rehabilitating himself had not been hard this year because he'd been able to focus on his rugby, he said.
"Obviously we've had a pretty challenging season, we've been up and down a bit, we haven't exactly been on top of the ladder for any amount of time, so we've always had to work hard and not take anything for granted."
He said he just needed "to keep building, and I think with good people around me I can keep doing that."
Guildford hasn't had a drink all year.
"I'm trying to stay off it, mate - not for ever, just until time's right."
And if things go to plan, he might feel entitled to just one after Friday's match.
- By Nick Tolerton of The Star
