GREATER Western Sydney is preparing for a "confronting" review of its qualifying final loss to Adelaide, but is determined not to "fracture" as the Giants prepare for a must-win semi-final, according to Matt de Boer.
The Giants were humbled by 36 points in Thursday night's loss to the Crows after being mauled in a five-goal-to-none second quarter that blew the game apart.
Immediately after the match, de Boer said they had pledged not to drop their heads as they attempted to avoid a straight-sets finals exit.
"Already, the boys are getting around each other," de Boer told AFL.com.au.
"We're not going to fracture. We're excited by the challenge that's ahead."
There were plenty of positives to be gleaned from the Giants' second half as they fought back in contested ball and clearances, and had 13 more inside 50 entries.
But the fact their ball use cost them so dearly before half-time as they struggled to adjust to the slick conditions will feature heavily in their review this week.
"If it's structures, if it's ball movement, the coaches won't sweep it under the rug," de Boer said.
"We just weren't as clean around the ball; it was one, two handballs and we're out, versus fumble and it goes the other way.
"It's a simple thing to fix and we'll focus on doing a bit of that during the week under a bit more pressure.
"[The review] will be confronting and it will be good, and we'll be ready."
Giants have 'got to fix it' to stay in hunt
He added they would take confidence from the route the Western Bulldogs took last year on their way to a drought-breaking premiership, when they had to win three games to get through to the Grand Final.
"I'm new to the Giants but last year they had the week off leading into the prelim and then lost to the Bulldogs, who had played all the way through," he said.
"We take confidence from that and we'll put a plan in place, analyse it and see where we went wrong."
The former Fremantle midfielder was the subject of much discussion in the lead up to the Giants' team selection, with suggestion it would come down to him or retiring forward Steve Johnson for a spot in the forward line.
Johnson missed out, but travelled to Adelaide to support the team and stake his claim for a call up next week in Friday's scratch match at West Lakes.
De Boer said there was no tension between himself and Johnson, with the three-time premiership Cat more than happy to help him get the best out of himself.
"Stevie is great for the group and we don't see it as him versus me; we're trying to make the group better any way we can," he said.
"Even just then, he came and talked to me about a few things I could have done better and the forward line could have done better.
"We want team success. We've got three more games, the competition for spots is good, but at the end of the day, we're all about team success so we're all buying in."
