Herbert believes his team can match the Queenslanders but is taking nothing for granted in tonight's match against the Roar at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The team from across the ditch set a 36-match unbeaten run in the A-League but has lost its past two games.
"We know they've lost those last two games but that is out of 40-odd games where they have been very successful. They are a good side and come here pretty buoyant from what they have done," Herbert said.
"But we're travelling along OK. We had a good result last weekend where we managed to get the points. We're about a third of the way into the season and the table still looks very tight. It is one of those years when if you manage to win a couple of games then you can go right up the table.
"This is a crunch game for us. There are points on the line now and we want to win well."
The Roar lost 2-1 to the Melbourne Heart in Brisbane last Friday night, a week after going down 2-0 to Sydney FC, which spelt the end to its unbeaten run, an Australian record in any team sport.
Herbert said he had studied the past two games in which the Roar had been defeated and the Heart especially had got in the faces of the Roar players.
"I think the key to us is we have to be good with the ball and in possession terms look after it. We have not been bad at creating opportunities. I think we are one of the highest teams in the league in terms of getting the ball into the box. It is just the problem of getting the goals."
The Phoenix lies seventh on the table, eight points behind the Roar, which shares the lead with the Central Coast Mariners, a side it faces in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The Phoenix should gain some confidence after a sound display against Perth last Saturday night when defender Ben Sigmund scored the winner five minutes from time.
Herbert said the side had recovered well from the match in Wellington and was looking fresh for tonight's match. He had not worked the players hard in the past couple of days and was looking forward to getting on to the grass at the stadium.
He said it was an excellent arena for both players and spectators.
Phoenix fullback Tony Lochhead is out with a groin injury and substitute striker Mirjan Pavlovic is suspended after being sent off against Perth.
Brisbane Roar coach Ange Postecoglou was confident his side could bounce back after the two losses.
"Our performance last week in the second half was better and it is most important that we have to play well. We have had a change in personnel but every team goes through that at some stage," he said.
The Roar won 5-1 in a pre-season match at the venue but neither side is taking much notice of that result.
The Roar is missing key midfielder German Thomas Broich while captain Matt Smith did not make the trip across the Tasman because of a groin injury.
Teams will not be finalised until a couple of hours before kick off. A crowd of 6000 to 7000 is expected.
• Southern supporters of the Phoenix football club have reached into their pockets to raise $500 for the nominated charity of the Wellington A-league franchise.
Phoenix players Tim Brown and Ben Sigmund are ambassadors for the the Life Flight Trust, a non-profit organisation which operates a nationwide air ambulance service.
More than $500 has been raised by southern-based members of the Yellow Fever club, a Dunedin-based Phoenix fan spokesman said.
Phoenix v Roar
Forsyth Barr Stadium, tonight, 7.30pm
Wellington Phoenix (from): Tony Warner, Mark Paston, Manny Muscat, Ben Sigmund, Dani Sanchez, Andrew Durante (captain), Tim Brown, Leo Bertos, Paul Ifill, Chris Greenacre, Vince Lia, Daniel Cortes, Nicky Ward, Alex Smith.
Brisbane Roar (from): Michael Theokiltos, Andrew Redmayne, Shane Stefanutto (captain), Matt Jurman, Ivan Franjic, Erik Paartalu, Massima Murdocca, Issy Nakajima-Farran, Mitch Nichols, Besart Besira, Nick Fitzgerald, Kofi Danning, Rocky Visconte, Mohammed Adnan.
TAB odds: Phoenix $3.50, Roar $1.85, draw $3.50
