Demons, Giants on collision course in AFL

The buoyant Melbourne Demons will be fighting for a home final when they host GWS at the MCG.

Demons Giants

An upbeat Melbourne and the GWS Giants finally clash for the first time since 2017 at the MCG. (AAP)

The MCG will be no place for the faint-hearted when Melbourne host GWS in a clash of two hotly-contested game styles.

The Demons boast the No.1 ranking in contested possessions and tackles, while the Giants are the league's best clearance team.

With the prize of a home final on the line, Sunday's encounter promises to be a bruiser.

"Our DNA is built from the contest ... it's no secret that we're a team that enjoys that part of the game, but the Giants do as well," Melbourne assistant coach Troy Chaplin said.

"It's going to be a really solid game in the midfield.

"We're really proud of that part of our game but we're still working on it."

In a quirk of the AFL fixture list, the round 23 match will be the first meeting of the teams this season and, with the Demons seventh on the ladder and the Giants sixth, they could well meet in the first week of the finals.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin rewarded the side that scored a gutsy win over West Coast by naming an unchanged line-up, while GWS has regained Josh Kelly and Sam Reid from injury.

The Demons locked up their first finals berth since 2006 with the win over the Eagles, which was also the first time they had beaten a top-eight team this season.

"The boys deserved to enjoy the moment," Chaplin said of the jubilant scenes following the final siren at Optus Stadium.

"I know there's been a bit of (critical) commentary around that which I don't subscribe to, but once we got back to work the message was that we've still got a lot of improving to do.

"Goodie's been very strong with the message that the team that improves the most in the back half of the year is the team that will enjoy the most success.

"We're under no illusions that we've still got a lot of work to do."


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Source: AAP


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