Cotter said the effort against the Hurricanes had taken its toll physically, and that and a combination of All Blacks' rest time resulted in changes in the side.
"It's [about] building on what we do well. We have a certain way to express ourselves and want to keep doing that.
"There's a change of personnel but nothing else changes the way we play."
He acknowledged they would be looking to build on the positive signs they have shown recently.
"They've got an unchanged team. They're coming up here and have a reason to play well after a difficult start.
"They can see that they're starting to click and doing some good things. They're smarter in how they play, and from set pieces to opportunities in space, they're going to be right at us.
"What we've got to expect is a lot of energy and an enthused team coming to play."
After conceding penalties in their win over the Hurricanes, they have been working on improving that area, mindful that Highlanders first five-eighths Cameron Millar has been behind the side's revival through his all-round kicking game.
"We like to throw ourselves into the game, and sometimes you can do just a bit much, and it will get you offside. It costs you field position and often tries, which we saw against the Hurricanes.
"The Highlanders are a set piece team. They're very good off that. If we give them lineouts and scrums in our half we know they've got some good organisation to hurt us around that."
Cotter said it would be great to have first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta around the team again after two months out with a shoulder injury.
"He's always been part of the preparation for each game, and he's very good at it."
Cotter said Perofeta had grown a lot in how he prepares his teammates for how they want to play.
"He just needs to ease his way back in and he'll do the things that Stephen Perofeta does, and he'll find a half-break. He kicks well and he's a good defender."
Perofeta said, "It's good to be back. It's feeling pretty good and I'm confident with my shoulder. As frustrating as it has been to watch, I've been getting pretty itchy seeing how the team's been tracking and how hungry they are."
Perofeta said the first goal he had to achieve was to feel free and enjoy his game.
He said he had a 'massive eye opener' when he saw how influential his game's execution was on the team when playing the Waratahs in Sydney and how important that was to his preparation.
"I had to go back to the drawing board and get into a proper routine with my structures I have in place around the way I prepare."
Perofeta said Harry Plummer had seized his chance in the position and made the team his.
"It's good to see and we happily help each other."
He said his shoulder injury hadn't affected his ability to work on fitness in the background.
With the Blues topping the ladder, he said they were conscious of turning up each week, wanting to back up their performances with consistent play, which they have lacked in the past.