| McGrath dropped a catch and went wicketless in Melbourne |
McGrath was bowled for a duck, dropped a catch and went wicketless in one of the hosts' poorest shows of the year.
However, he says they will learn from their mistakes in his final appearance at his home ground, Sydney, on Sunday.
"It was probably one of the worst performances I've been involved in for a long, long time," he commented.
"Sometimes you need that, especially leading into a big series like the World Cup. We let ourselves down but hopefully we can learn from it."
"To have something like that makes us all refocus again and realise what's important and get out there and do the job properly."
McGrath, 37, has already announced he would retire after the World Cup in April and hopes his last appearance at the SCG will help Australia force a third, deciding match.
"I want to finish on a very special note," he said.
"I only have to think back to the [fifth Ashes] Test match, that was the perfect way to finish my Test career. So hopefully the one-dayers can be very similar."
England wicket-keeper Paul Nixon says a 2-0 victory in the finals series would be a late reward on a difficult Ashes tour.
"That would be absolutely magnificent - I don't think there would be any guys sleeping for a couple of days after that," he said.
"We've had a hard time, a hard tour and this would be some just reward for a lot of hard work."
Nixon's 11 runs from 10 balls in the final overs at Melbourne went some way to justifying his surprise call-up at the age of 36.
"I thought there was a chance my time would never come again for England and I'm here on one of the greatest tours you could ever have," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"All of a sudden you're in the mixer, playing at the MCG and Sydney - places I've always dreamed of."
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