Assistant coach Cory Jane said the Hurricanes learned some lessons from their 27-31 loss to the Blues at the weekend. The loss knocked them off the top of the points table.
"They're a great defensive team and they beat us in the physicality even though it was a really physical battle they beat us, and we disappointed about that."
The win puts the Blues in the box seat for home playoff fixtures if they can maintain their success over the last three rounds.
But Jane said nothing was guaranteed, and the Hurricanes had to continue to go out and try to perform.
"Destiny's in our hands to try to finish towards the top and after the weekend they deserve to be No1 and we've all got some big games coming up so who knows what can change after that?"
There were sore bodies after the game in the Hurricanes camp, but they couldn't take too long to recover. They have a short turnaround to play Moana Pasifika in Wellington on Friday.
The side turned around their performance after losing to the Brumbies in their first loss of the season, and they are expecting the same on Friday.
"Hopefully, we're back on track. We're not a bad team so it's a good challenge to get up over the next couple of days and we get to play at home."
While there was a prospect they could meet the Blues in a final, he said they couldn't afford to think about that. They had to play Moana Pasifika and the Highlanders, who wanted to get into the playoffs, so they could not afford to lower their expectations.
Tighthead prop Pasilio Tosi was propelled into a starting role after the late withdrawal of Tyrel Lomax and said it had been a tough first half. But after the break, he felt they played catch-up well.
He felt they were unlucky not to execute their final play, but they had to put that behind them and look ahead.
He has been enjoying the season, especially with the team playing well.
"I was a little unlucky not getting any game time last year. We had Owen Franks, who played for the All Blacks many times, so I was always going to be the third choice, but luckily, this year, I'm second in line.
"I'm grateful to be able to play and not worried that I'm not getting picked [to start], but I am stoked to get to play more often now.
"It's good being up there amid all those physical battles. At the start of the week, the coach said the Blues had put out their biggest team, and they were big. They had Ofa [Tu'ungafasi] starting at loosehead, and I was shaking in my boots. He's a strong man, and he's way bigger in real life.
"So, from minute one, the game was pretty physical. But I feel the next time we play them we can give them a way better go."
Tosi said the 26,000 crowd at Eden Park was the first time he had experienced such an atmosphere.
"It's pretty cool. I like the energy that the fans bring. We look forward to running out in stadiums like that."
While they were beaten, it wasn't a bad feeling afterwards. They could fix some areas, which were all under the Hurricanes' control.
"It's just a little one per cent we need to get right and then get back on the horse against Moana Pasifika. They'll show up to the game, and I know they'll be hurt."