Melbourne Rebels hooker Adam Freier says his side needs a fast start against the Crusaders to upset the perennial Super Rugby champions on Saturday night.

The Rebels delivered their best-ever performance against the Bulls last round but still came up short 41-35.

Kurtley Beale starred in his first start for Melbourne at five-eighth and will look to push his case for Wallaby selection there again at AAMI Park.

“The general noise afterwards was that that was probably the best game at AAMI Park,” Freier said.

“But it’s disappointing to hear the compliments when you don’t get the result you’re after.

“That sort of stepping stone towards this game definitely helps but it’s hard to hear the praise when you don’t get the victory.”

The Rebels rebounded quickly from an early Bulls try but former Wallaby Freier said they needed to get on the front foot against the Crusaders.

“Starting well is going to be important for us this week,” Freier said.

“We’ve been in a position of late where we’ve always come from behind and I’d like to see us really do everything right in the first part of the game and then put a bit of pressure on the opposition … something we’re not used to.”

Freier unsurprisingly rates the seven-time champion Crusaders as the greatest Super Rugby side of all time, and their skipper Richie McCaw, who is back in the starting line-up, as the best player in the world.

McCaw will replace Matt Todd at open-side flanker in his first start since the Rugby World Cup while stand-in captain, in-form No.8 Kieran Read, has been rested and relegated to the reserves, with Luke Whitelock in his place.

All Black fullback Israel Dagg is also on the bench in five change to the starting line-up that beat the Reds.

“The Crusaders are a squad of 30 and any of the players in that squad are capable of starting,” veteran Freier said.

The Rebels won’t name their squad until Friday but will miss hard-working young forward Luke Jones, who has been rubbed out for two games for a dangerous tackle.