GREATER Western Sydney players aren't expecting a hangover from last week's heartbreaking loss to West Coast when they face Fremantle at Spotless Stadium on Saturday.
The Giants coughed up their crucial place in the top four when Eagles' ruckman Nic Naitanui won the game off his own boot with a goal just before the final siren, but midfielder Tom Scully said the players were keen to put it behind them.
GWS looked unorganised at the boundary throw-in that led to Naitanui's goal, with players seemingly out of position with just eight seconds left in the game.
Scully said that the beauty of an AFL season is that GWS only have to wait seven days to take the field again, and their focus is well and truly on the Dockers and finishing off their season ahead of next month's historic finals campaign.
"To go down like that is disappointing, but we've moved on," he said.
"Everyone will look at the last stoppage in isolation, but leading up to that there were multiple times when we could have influenced the game differently and we didn't.
"Unfortunately we were on the disappointing side of the result, but I think there's a number of lessons that we've learnt and we reviewed them really strongly and honestly.
"We understand there was a couple of things in our control that we could have done better, but hopefully if we get into another position like that, we'll understand what's required and execute it.
"We can't get that back now, and we're looking forward to this week."
Scully said the team has practiced being in certain game situations like the one they faced against West Coast since the beginning of pre-season, and that it was an ongoing process, both on the training track, and in video sessions.
"It's funny, we actually spoke about it not long ago," he said.
"We actually refresh it quite often because as you know as you get towards finals and big games like that, they're generally pretty close.
"You can't afford to make mistakes like that in big games but it's hard, there's only a certain matter of time in a week to fit everything in.
"We'd love to do more but time doesn't allow it, so it's really important that when you do those sessions, there's really strong communication and leadership."
The Giants will go in heavy favourites against a Fremantle side that has won just three games this season, and then finish the year against fellow top-eight side North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
Scully, like his club, is set to play his first final this year in his seventh season in the competition, and said it's an exciting time for everyone involved at the Giants.
"I just can't wait to get an opportunity," he said.
"This is what you play football for, to give yourself an opportunity to play off in the finals.
"In previous years I've had to sit back and watch other sides in the finals and you look on with a bit of envy.
"It takes a lot of work (to get there) and we've put ourselves in that position, and everybody is just looking forward to it."