The Highlanders came home after an unsuccessful three-week trip overseas, to come up trumps against the Blues, winning 38-28 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It was the best performance of the season from the Highlanders, and the coach said there was no revolution in the way they played, which led to the reclaiming of the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy.
''I think everyone just wanted to win that match. There was no magic game plan,'' he said.
''We talked about that today. Obviously Gordy is special for me. One thing I did say about that Gordon Hunter thing was it was naive to think they were going to be playing for Gordy when they did not know him.
''However, he is from here and everyone in our team knows that. They know who he was and what he did. No-one in their team knew that.''
Joseph said the side perhaps benefited by having limited preparation, due to the long trip back home and then being laid low by snow in Dunedin earlier this week.
''I think we had to get fresh. We only had one training ... There has been lots of disappointment and there has been lots of reasons for that. I guess just getting home after a few weeks on tour and losing that last match, I thought it is going to be hard to turn that around.
''But coming home and having a compulsory three days with the family was the right medicine.''
The side upped its energy levels throughout the match and cut out the sloppy errors which had marred its season.
''It did not really matter what happened today. If there was one player going and making a mistake, there were two guys cleaning it up. If there was one guy out of position, then there were three guys in position.
''When that happens, generally you play well and that hasn't happened often enough this year.''
He said the season might have gone but there were three games to go and something to look at in those remaining fixtures.
''For me, we are playing for next year. Our season is gone and against the Crusaders we are going to try a few things.
''Some guys are playing for contracts. Some guys are playing for their careers, while other guys are playing for their futures. They are young and we want to have a look at them.''
The players will not put their feet up until June 12, and have a game scheduled against an invitation side, made up of mostly Southland and Otago players, on June 21.
The Highlanders will take on the Crusaders when the competition resumes on June 29.
Joseph said it had been a tough year for the coaching team although he did not describe the victory as relief for the coaches.
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan said he was proud of the way his side came back in the second half.
He felt it was just one of those nights when his side could not get into the game. He said the side just had to move on from incidents with the referee.
Piri Weepu, who was knocked out in the first half, was fine after the game, Kirwan said.
In other games over the weekend, the Reds beat the Rebels 33-20, in Brisbane, the Stormers beat the Kings 19-11, in Cape Town and the Bulls pipped the Cheetahs 30-25, in Bloemfontein.
