Brit Bonnici believes Collingwood can match it with the best teams in the AFLW competition this season if the Pies play their brand of contested footy.
Bonnici said the round four loss to Fremantle was a "shock to the system" and an opportunity to level up.
"I don't think we were able to play our brand of footy against Freo and that's complete credit to them because they took our game away from us," Bonnici said on the Credit to the Girls podcast this week.
"We hadn't experienced that pressure this season yet - we knew they were tough and hard and they showed us how good they are.
"We need to step up to take on the best teams but I have no doubt we're ready to do that."
She said the group had reviewed the match and turned their focus to round five.
"It's about getting back to what we do best, making sure we nail the basics, taking on that pressure and being excited when teams bring that pressure," she said.
"We love the contest and that in-and-under footy... we need to be enjoying the hits of footy and feeling sore the next day."
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On losing Bri Davey early in Collingwood's 2022 campaign, Bonnici said the co-captain was still leading by example.
"She is super woman - she's still training just as hard as us on the bike, swimming or with the ropes," Bonnici said.
"That professionalism is so inspiring.
"She is just phenomenal in her preparation and her leadership and bringing the girls together.
"She makes you walk taller when you're around her, because you know she backs you."
Now in its sixth season, Bonnici said the league had seen huge improvements across all aspects of the game.
"The game is a lot quicker because our skills have developed a lot," she said.
"In those first few years it was all about the contest - we were seeing a lot of throw ins and stoppages.
"Our skills and our ability to hit targets is getting so much better and now we're able to execute game plans.
"We have those core groups at each club so we can be predictable to our teammates."
On a personal level, she said her goals each week revolve around output.
"My role has changed a lot, for the first three years I was always tagging," she said.
"I've been looking to improve in knowing when to get forward and support the forwards and when to get back and support the defenders.
"For me it's about output - one of my strengths is my work rate and that's where I like to try and catch people out.
"I like to make sure I'm genuinely gassed after a game.
"When I had opportunities to go forward and support, did I get there? That's how I analyse my own game."
Collingwood face the Brisbane Lions at home in Maroochydore this weekend for the first time since last year's preliminary final loss.
"(The prelim loss) is going to sting forever," Bonnici said.
"It was a really big season for us and I'll remember it forever - it brought us girls together and we thrived.
"We weren't competitive in the first few years of the comp but last year we made our mark and for it to come crashing down the way it did against Brisbane, it hurt."
"(As a group) we are really big on understanding that what happened last year is in the past," she added.
"We can't hold onto those moments because it doesn't matter too much now."
Bonnici is confident the Pies will bounce back after last week's defeat and will be ready to bring the heat against Brisbane.
"Our mindset now is getting back to the basics and doing what we're good at," she said.
"(Brisbane) are a really good team.
"We will be focusing on playing the best we can because we believe our best is good enough."
