Because make no mistake — this test is not a lay-down misere, despite all the recent evidence.
The Wallabies might look intensely vulnerable after losing all three of their tests this year and having to field a team shorn of so many veterans and classy operators.
And, indeed, the All Blacks genuinely appear to have rediscovered their mojo under rejuvenated coach Ian Foster and a rejigged assistant crew to the point they might even be back in the discussion for potential World Cup champions in France in a couple of months.
Whisper it quietly, however: you trust Wallabies coach Eddie Jones as far as you can throw him; there is still a certain level of confidence in the Wallabies that they can produce something special with their backs to the wall; the last time there was an afternoon test in Dunedin, it did not go well for the home team; and the All Blacks might just present a sliver of vulnerability as they have made such radical changes with the Bledisloe Cup in the bank.
There is also the memory of the "Dunedin Disaster" fresh in the minds of the local supporters.
The All Blacks had a bit of a stinker at the covered stadium a year ago when they lost three players to red or yellow cards in the first half on the way to a 23-12 loss to Ireland, their first defeat in eight tests at the venue.
Reflecting the pace of change in elite rugby and obviously the selection policy this weekend, only four All Blacks — forwards Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Brodie Retallick and winger Leicester Fainga’anuku — survive from the Irish loss.
Retallick and long-time locking partner Sam Whitelock, who extend their world record of 64 tests as a second-row combination, will run out on a New Zealand rugby ground for the final time, and it would be a shame if they and that familiar little halfback on the bench were not sent off as winners.
It feels as if something has changed — that serious improvements have been made to their overall game — but Foster said this week he did not necessarily feel the All Blacks were performing better than expected.
"I don’t think it’s more advanced. It’s a point where we know we can’t stop.
"We’ve got a bigger picture in mind of where we want to be and the exciting thing for us is that the World Cup starts with a pretty big game.
"We need to be at a high point going into this World Cup. We know that.
"This series of five games, it’s been critical that we get up to speed pretty quick."
Speed could well be a theme today.
The covered stadium usually lends itself to some free-flowing action but there will be interest in whether English referee Karl Dickson, still relatively fresh at test level, allows the game to flow.
Dickson famously blew 31 penalties when the All Blacks played Italy in Rome two years ago, and while that sort of ugly statistic must not be blamed solely on the man in the middle, any repeat this afternoon would be a serious downer.
Normally, an analysis of key match-ups in any All Blacks test starts or ends with a Barrett brother, but all three are missing today for just the second time in eight years.
Finlay Christie will have his hands full with new Wallabies captain Tate McDermott behind the scrum, Shaun Stevenson will need to ensure his defensive work on Marika Koroibete is as sound as his attacking work, and recalled first five Damian McKenzie might want to test out fledgling Wallabies pivot Carter Gordon.
The latter has been a big focus since the one-sided Melbourne test, but Gordon has the full backing of his coach.
"He’s going to make mistakes. I can guarantee you that, and he’ll learn from it," Jones said.
"When he’s played as many tests as Damian McKenzie then he’ll cease to make as many mistakes as he makes now.
"The reality is he’s a young guy learning his apprenticeship."
Jones was at the helm of the Wallabies when they last won in Dunedin, in 2001, though the circumstances were just a bit different.
"I remember Carisbrook, and I can remember us playing a very smart, physical game that day.
"We were able to shift the ball around and put them under pressure, and when you do that to any team, you can find yourself on the right side of the scoreboard."
