MELBOURNE may have to wait another week until its Preliminary Final, but that hasn’t stopped the side from gearing up for the challenge.  

The Demons’ home final was rescheduled by the AFL on Monday afternoon, following the week-long delay of Qualifying Final A between Brisbane and Collingwood. 

Melbourne defender Gabby Colvin said the team was just as eager to hit the ground running despite their extra week of preparations.  

“We’re all really excited,” Colvin told Melbourne Media.

“It’s been a little bit strange waiting to find out when we will be playing and now having an extra week.  

“But it’s been a great opportunity for everyone to get rid of all their niggles and there’s a couple of girls in rehab who will really benefit from the couple of weeks off.

“And come next week, we’ll all be raring to go.”  

Melbourne will host the Preliminary Final on Saturday 2 April, with exact timings and venue to be announced closer to the date.  

This is the first time the club has secured a home Preliminary Final, and the third consecutive Prelim that the Demons have progressed through to. 

During their 2021 finals campaign, the side bowed out in a disappointing Prelim loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.  

“Last year’s final gets brought up a little bit as an example of what we don’t want to do,” Colvin said.  

“But it’s just about trying to move forward.”  

In 2022, Colvin has become an important asset to the side, taking on the challenge of tough matchups in the back line.  

Sitting in a consistent full back position, Colvin works alongside Libby Birch in locking down the opposition’s key forwards.  

Reflecting on her season to date, Colvin said it was hard not to think about the interruptions she’s been dealt.   

“It’s been up and down,” Colvin said.  

“I missed out on the first game, which was a bit shattering because I felt like I was flying coming into Round 1. 

“It took me a while to get back into the swing of things, but then I started to get a bit of momentum.

“And then I injured my calf, so that was, again, shattering.”  

Colvin was sidelined for two weeks with a calf strain, but it wasn’t long before she returned to the field and returned to her defensive best.  

“It was a bit stressful at the time because I wanted to get back into the team,” Colvin said.  

“We’ve got so much depth at the moment, we’ve got a number of girls lining up, playing very well in the VFL each week, so I’m feeling very grateful that I’ve had that chance to return.”  

Currently in her third season at the club and the league, Colvin expressed how proud she was of the work she’d done so far, and was beginning to settle into Melbourne’s back line with confidence.

“I’ve improved a lot since last year and I’m becoming more confident with every game,” Colvin said.

“I’m playing a different position this year in full back, so when I can, I try to talk with the other girls. 

“I feel like we all bring something different to the team, we all play our roles and I learn so much from them.”