GREATER Western Sydney recruit Poppy Boltz believes she knows her former Brisbane side "inside out" and hopes that her familiarity can help the Giants secure a statement win on Saturday.

GWS aims to bounce back from its four-point loss to Yartapuulti last Sunday when it faces Brisbane. Having spent her first three seasons with the Lions, playing 28 games, including the club's 2023 NAB AFLW premiership win over the Kangaroos, Boltz said she was eagerly anticipating a clash with her former side.

"I know that team inside out, so hopefully that helps us, but I'm excited for the challenge," she said.

"We're both coming off a loss, so we're two teams looking for a win. I can't wait to pass on what I know to the girls."

The Giants fell just five points short of an upset pre-season win over the Lions after conceding in the final seconds. Boltz  said that first meeting was "really nerve-racking" and added: "I've got that out of the way, so I'm just excited for the challenge".

Meanwhile, Brisbane's squad is dealing with a depleted lineup due to a growing injury list. Following their record 56-point loss to Narrm on Sunday, the Lions added Marlo Graham (concussion), Ruby Svarc (concussion) and Neasa Dooley (shoulder) to their casualty list.

While Boltz sympathises with the Lions' injury woes, she insisted the Giants' self-belief remains unchanged regardless of who takes the field for last year's grand finalists.

"Injuries are always horrible, so I hope those girls are OK. But full team or not, I still think that the belief is the same as if they didn't have injuries," she said.

"So, I don't think that changes much."

With her intimate knowledge of the opposition, Boltz will play a key role in preparing her teammates with some insider insight.

"We'll get into the detail tomorrow, but if anybody needs to know how certain players play, I guess I can help them through that," she said.

"We'll get into more detail later in the week."

When it comes to engaging in a bit of banter with her old teammates, Boltz said she will "save that for on the field".

Boltz won't be the only Giant taking on her former side, with ex-Brisbane premiership captain Emma Zielke also set to face her old club in her new role as GWS's first full-time AFLW assistant coach.

"Both of them will be hungry to perform," Giants coach Cam Bernasconi said.

 "Whenever you leave a club by choice for more opportunity and a career path, there's certainly real hunger. The attention to detail this week will go up a little bit, and I expect that from everyone.

"When we go up there (to Springfield), we have to make sure we're clear on what we need to do. What we learned from the loss to Melbourne (in round two) is that if you have a lapse for 10 or 15 minutes, that's the game. We'll have a clear week of preparation to ensure we play well.

"Poppy's quite popular, so she'll know them quite well. There might be a few little things we can learn from Poppy about certain individuals. But it's a fine line because you don't want to spend too much time thinking and talking about Brisbane."

Bernasconi is also looking forward to drawing on Zielke's expertise, though he maintains his side must still perform when it counts.

"I will certainly tap into her footy IQ and IP this week, but [the Lions] don't play too badly on their own, so we've got to prove ourselves again," he said.

"We get a head start on making sure we find parts of their game we can stop, but we've also got some strong elements of our own that we need to bring.

"It's about being clear on what they're trying to achieve, how we can stop that, and where they might be a little vulnerable so that we can exploit it through our system. But Poppy and 'Zielks' will have a good week, and I'll certainly be having a few coffees with them."

Despite a rocky start to the season, including a 48-point loss to top-tier contender Narrm and the last-gasp loss to Yartapuulti, Bernasconi remains unfazed.

"I'd love to be 3–0, or at least 2–1. We're not, but I'm not worried about it because I think there are some really winnable games coming up. It starts this weekend against Brisbane," he said.

"They are a good side. Yes, they have a few injuries, but that's not something I'm going to spend time on. Good sides respond well. They've had a tough loss, so I'm prepared for a determined Brisbane side this weekend."