It was a chilly morning in Naturena yesterday - the kind of weather that would put you off any kind of workout.

But the nippy climate didn't prove a distraction for Kaizer Chiefs, the Absa Premiership champions-in-waiting.

With the gathered hacks frantically searching for a cup of coffee, Katlego Mphela sped through the parking lot with what appeared to be a new set of wheels and was quickly on the pitch ready to get down to business.

Perhaps that summed up the mood in the change room: Chiefs are in a hurry to end the title race as early as tomorrow against Polokwane City.

No choking against City at FNB Stadium or against any of their remaining opponents. This was the message Mphela suggested coach Stuart Baxter had been spreading throughout the season, and maybe even more so after Sundowns, their nearest title rivals, imploded in a 5-0 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic last week.

"I don't think there will be any complacency against Polokwane. The guys are serious and if there was any sign of that, you would have seen it against Tuks. There are games that we don't play well now, but we win them. We are grinding results, and that is the lesson we took from last year," said Mphela.

Chiefs were favourites to retain their Premier League trophy last year until collapsing, rather spectacularly, to give Sundowns the upper hand. Now it's their turn.

And should Amakhosi beat City, the Brazilians will be forced to form a guard of honour in acknowledging Chiefs as the new champions when they meet in a league match next week.

"I have been thinking about that," Mphela said.

"But it's not important. I came here to win trophies and it is finally happening."