Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli says his side won’t need to use its budding rivalry with the GWS Giants for added motivation this week.

That’s because they’re already overly determined to turn around a disappointing start to 2020.

The Bulldogs surprisingly sit at the bottom of the AFL ladder after two rounds, on the back of losses to Collingwood and St Kilda.

Bontempelli says Friday night’s clash with the Giants is as important as any other game.

“All games are important for us… there is clearly some history with GWS,” he said.

“We’ve always looked forward to playing a part in those games.

“I think for us, the bigger focus now is how we can bring our best football and our best brand back to the fore.

“That’s what we’ve been committed to do from as soon as the (Saints) game finished, working out the things we need to do better – obviously there’s a couple of them – and trying to do it as quickly as possible.”

The first-year captain is embracing the challenge of leading his group out of this challenging start.

He has no doubt improved performances are just around the corner.

“I’ve got great faith in this group and what they’re capable of, and I’m just going to do my best to lead us the best way I can,” Bontempelli said.

“We all know how quickly things can change and that’s the mindset you’ve got to have, that growth mindset of being able to improve things quickly.

“We can all probably do things better. You’ve got to reflect on those experiences and then say, ‘where can we grow from them?’ 

“They can be valuable experiences in the longer run, but you certainly want to make things change pretty quickly.”