Match Details
Melbourne v GWS Giants
MCG
Sunday August 26, 3.20pm AEST
Summary
In the penultimate match of the home and away season, Melbourne and the GWS Giants will play-off on Sunday afternoon for the chance to host a home final. An unlikely top-four spot could even be up for grabs, if Fremantle upset Collingwood on Saturday.
Melbourne will enter the clash full of confidence, after knocking off West Coast in Perth last weekend. The 17-point win showed Melbourne has the capability to match it with a top team in a hostile environment.
The Demons’ opposition on Sunday in the Giants, will be just as hungry for a win in their second game at the MCG this season. GWS are coming off a loss to cross-town rivals Sydney, however they’ve won nine of their past 11 games after a slow start to 2018.
Players to watch
James Harmes
Harmes was one of Melbourne’s best against the Eagles last weekend, recording 28 possessions, including 14 contested. The performance saw him a well-deserved nomination in the round 23 Team of the Week. Harmes has been one of Melbourne’s quiet achievers this season and has recorded 20 or more possessions in the past four games.
Josh Kelly
Melbourne will look to limit the influence of Giants’ ball magnet Josh Kelly, who is averaging just over 28 disposals a game this season. Those stats are boosted by two games where he managed to record 40 or more disposals. Expect the Giant to be heavily tagged.
In the media
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin on the GWS Giants
"Clearly this is the opportunity to get ourselves into a position as high as we possibly can and be in the best form we can possibly be. We get a chance to do that against GWS, who are a really good footy team, have had an outstanding second half of the year.”
GWS ruckman Rory Lobb on taking on Max Gawn
“His strength is obviously his hit-outs to advantage so if I can nullify that as much as possible it will go a long way towards us winning.” – via AFL.com.au
2018 so far
Ladder position (as of publication date)
Melbourne: 7th (W13, L8)
GWS Giants: 6th (W13, D1, L7)
Last five matches
Melbourne: LWWLW
GWS Giants: WWWWL
Scoring record
Melbourne points for: 321. 230 (2197) – highest in the AFL
Melbourne points against: 248. 173 (1692) – ninth lowest in the AFL
GWS Giants points for: 260. 215 (1841) – seventh highest in the AFL
GWS Giants points against: 224. 179 (1559) – fourth lowest in the AFL
Did you know…
- Melbourne are set to finish the season with one of their highest ladder percentages in more than 50 years. The current percentage of 129.95 is the highest recorded since 1964, which was 138.24 (from 18 games).
- Clayton Oliver could be on track to break his own record set in 2017 for disposals in a season. With 625 for the season, he’ll need 35 to break his 2017 record of 659.
- Max Gawn needs 37 hit-outs to become only the second VFL/AFL player after North’s Todd Goldstein, to record 1000 hit-outs in a season. His current average is 45.86 a game.
Head-to-head history
Total
Played: 10 games
Melbourne: 5 wins
GWS Giants: 5 wins
At the MCG
Played: 4 games
Melbourne: 3 wins
GWS Giants: 1 win
Biggest wins
Melbourne: 78 points (round 13, 2012 at the MCG)
GWS Giants: 64 points (round 21, 2014 at the MCG)
Highest home and away season attendance
28505 – round 1, 2016 at the MCG
Last time we met
Round 20, 2017: GWS Giants 14. 13 (97) defeated Melbourne 10. 2 (62) at Manuka Oval
