That something was well-and-truly present this week before the Mermaids' do-or-die battle against Warrandyte at the Arc tonight.

"You could really see the nervous excitement in the girls at training, which is good because we missed that last week," Davis said.

"We didn't step up thinking it was a finals game but the other team did. It was their grand final.

"Every game is our grand final from now on because if we don't win, we're out.

"I think the loss shook us up a little bit. Now there's that little bit of extra pressure on us."

Warrnambool, which was undefeated until last week's five-point upset loss to the Venom on the road, is desperate to win tonight to force the series to a third and deciding game at the Arc tomorrow.

"The important thing for us is that we've still got all the talent that we've had during the season," Davis said.

"We've got the whole group ready to go. We're mentally prepared, which is going to make a big difference."

He said the home-court crowd would make a big difference for the Big V division one women's minor premier, which has a perfect record at the Arc.

"That was always one of our major goals for the season," Davis said.

"We will pull out all stops to get a win at home.

"The girls love playing in front of their friends, family and supporters and they like to showcase their skills in front of their fans.

"We're comfortable on our own court."

After Warrandyte was unusually able to attempt 46 foul shots in game one, the coach was confident the Mermaids would adjust to the refereeing, particularly on their home court.

Tonight's tip-off will be at 7pm.