GREATER Western Sydney is ready to challenge for its first premiership despite the disappointment of the past fortnight, coach Leon Cameron says.
The Giants loomed ominously after winning nine of 10 games entering the final two rounds of the home and away season, but failed in major tests against Sydney then Melbourne on Sunday.
The 45-point defeat to the Demons at the MCG was particularly galling for Cameron, who claimed his players "stopped" after half-time.
DEES DOMINATE GIANTS Full match coverage and stats
Melbourne smashed GWS 139-111 in contested possessions, a shocking result for a Giants team that ranked No.1 in that statistic between rounds 11 and 22.
They will now have to reverse their round 22 loss to the Swans in an elimination final at the SCG in two weeks to keep their season alive.
"Whether that last 10 or 12 weeks took its toll today, that's no excuse, because there are 23 rounds for a reason," Cameron told reporters.
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"You don't stop at 22. We stopped after half-time in the 23rd round and that's disappointing and we've got to live with that.
"(But) we've won enough games to qualify. We've put ourselves in a position to play finals footy, so we've got 13 days to rectify it.
"Has the bye come at a really good time? It probably has, and we've got to make sure that we lick our wounds, acknowledge what we weren't good at, and we get ready for one big clash against the Swans."
WATCH Leon Cameron's full post-match press conference
One of the big dilemmas for Cameron ahead of the Sydney Derby is how many of his injured footballers to bring back for the Swans showdown.
Zac Williams, who is two NEAFL games into his comeback from a significant Achilles setback, Toby Greene (hamstring), Aidan Corr (groin), Matt de Boer (hamstring) and Sam Taylor (hamstring) will all be available.
Veterans Brett Deledio (calf) and Ryan Griffen (hamstring) could also be in the frame.
"I don't think you can play five or six (of them) – that's probably flirting with it a bit," Cameron said.
"The Swans are a powerful team and they run hard to the end and you always have to go to the wire, but we'll look at it and see what the best mix is to take them on.
"We've had a really good, positive last three months of the season, except for our last probably five or six quarters, so there are some players there that have just dropped away a little bit.
"Thus that bye comes at a good time, and we look forward to picking them up and hitting the finals head on."
GWS made preliminary finals the past two seasons, but Cameron was unsure what those experiences would mean for his "hardened" team's chances this time around.
"It's a really hard one to answer, because, yes, we've played the last two and we've gone to the final four, but what preparation is the best preparation?" he said.
"We've seen Richmond do what they did last year and probably everyone was questioning whether they had enough experience, but they just blew everyone away.
"Then there was the Bulldogs the year before. Finals are unique, because they're so intense, so anyone can win and we're going to put ourselves in that basket.
"We can beat the Swans and they can beat us, but we need to play our best footy and we haven't the last four or five quarters, but I'm confident we can in 13 days' time."
