The Matildas concede they're in a race against time to waterproof a leaky defence, but they're up for the challenge.
Ante Milicic's side begin their World Cup campaign on Sunday against Italy.
They were beaten 3-0 in their final friendly before heading to France for their World Cup campaign, taken apart by a clinical Netherlands outfit.
The goals kept coming in a closed doors friendly on Monday (AEST), when both nations played second-string sides and the Dutch prevailed 3-1.
The loss was the Matildas' harshest in four years and the second-straight match where their defence was left wanting.
In April's admittedly taxing away trip to world No.1s USA, Australia shipped five in a 5-3 defeat and came in for heavy criticism.
Alanna Kennedy, stalwart of the back four, admitted some of the negativity had seeped through.
"I try not to read too much of that stuff but I read things that say how we go is dependent on how the defence goes," she said.
"Well I love that challenge.
"I think we have some of the best defenders in the world.
"People can say whatever they want. I know we'll rise at the right times.
"I have all the confidence in the world in our back line."
Clare Polkinghorne, Kennedy's defensive partner, said conceding from a pair of free kicks against the Netherlands was especially galling.
"We can't do that at a major tournament," she said.
"We have to tighten up defensively, especially on set pieces and make sure we're covering the key areas in front of the goal. That's something we have been working on."
With Laura Alleway's fitness still unclear after being stomped on in training, much hope rests on the settled back four of Kennedy, Polkinghorne, Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter.
Carpenter, 19, is yet to play at a World Cup, and will be better for the experience of playing in front of 30,000 raucous fans in Eindhoven.
Catley is saddling up for her third tournament, but injury problems meant she was never going to be at her best against the Dutch.
"The more games we play, the more consistency and cohesion we can get. Steph's had a little bit of time out with injury but she's been training really well and we know she'll be ready for France," Polkinghorne said.
"We can get that consistency. Game time together is key."
For coach Ante Milicic, fixing the leaky defence doesn't start with the back four; it comes from maintaining possession.
"We do work a lot on that and our different variations ... building up from the back," he said.
"It was disappointing. As I said, we'll have to go back and you know, have a good look at that and keep working on that."
