GOLD Coast skipper Tara Bohanna says her side has had the perfect preparation for Saturday night's elimination final against Sydney.
The Suns ended the 10-round season with a draw and two wins, forcing their way into fifth position with a 14-point victory over Essendon last Friday night.
Bohanna said the cut-throat nature of the past three weeks has been an ideal lead-in to facing the Swans.
"We've had a few close games over the season … and the last two weeks for us have pretty much been finals," she said after Tuesday's training session.
"If we don't win those games, we probably aren't sitting where we are.
"It feels like a third final in a row."
It will be the second time Gold Coast has played finals after it made it through under the conference system in 2020 when there were 14 teams.
On that occasion the season was cut two rounds short with COVID-19 just hitting, and they were trounced by Fremantle in an elimination match.
There can be no denying Gold Coast has earned every bit of this appearance.
It snatched a round eight draw against Port Adelaide with a late Jac Dupuy goal and also beat Richmond on the siren and the Western Bulldogs by four points in other season-shaping victories.
Bohanna, who kicked the match-winning point against the Tigers, said her team had steadily improved through the season with their ball movement, run-and-carry, and ability to run out games particularly impressive.
Despite missing star midfielder Charlie Rowbottom for the finals campaign, the captain said she had total belief ahead of facing the Swans.
"Every week we go in with a never-say-die attitude," she said.
"We're in for the fight and will go through until the final siren.
"For us it's been a lot of growth through the year and a lot of work, so I'm just really looking forward to the opportunity."