Round 21 match preview: Greater Western Sydney v Melbourne

Match details
Saturday, August 18, 2.10 pm (local time), Manuka Oval 

Broadcast guide

Form
Melbourne: L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, W, L, Bye, W, L, L, L, L, L, W, L
Greater Western Sydney: L, L, L, L, L, L, W, L, L, L, Bye, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, W, L

Ladder position
Melbourne: 16th
Greater Western Sydney: 18th

Head-to-head
Played: 1
Melbourne: 1
Greater Western Sydney: 0
Drawn: 0

At this ground
Played: Yet to play
Melbourne: -
Greater Western Sydney: -
Drawn: -

Last time they met
Round 13, 2012: Melbourne 20.15 (135) d Greater Western Sydney 9.3 (57) at the MCG

Recent streak
Melbourne won its inaugural clash against Greater Western Sydney in round 13 this year

Memorable match
Round 13, 2012: Melbourne 20.15 (135) d Greater Western Sydney 9.3 (57) at the MCG
The first clash between the competition’s oldest and newest clubs saw the Demons prevail by 78 points - Melbourne’s biggest winning margin for the season. Jared Rivers, Jack Watts, Matthew Bate, Nathan Jones and Tom McDonald were among Melbourne’s best. Rivers and Mitch Clark kicked four goals each.

Milestones
Melbourne: Brad Green
Greater Western Sydney: Luke Power (300 AFL matches) - Power is due to become the 66th player in the game’s history to reach 300 games.

Coaching record
Mark Neeld: 19 matches, 3 wins, 0 draws, 16 losses
Kevin Sheedy: 653 matches, 388 wins, 6 draws, 259 losses

Injury list
Melbourne: Clint Bartram (knee) - season, Jamie Bennell (knee) - season, Mitch Clark (foot) - season, Aaron Davey (foot) - season, Max Gawn (knee) - season, Mark Jamar (calf) - 2 weeks, Stef Martin (foot) - test, Cale Morton (shoulder) - season, Ricky Petterd (Achilles) - season, Rory Taggert (back) - season, Jack Watts (ankle) - test
Greater Western Sydney: Taylor Adams (back) - available, Jeremy Cameron (hips) - season, Sam Frost (hips) - season, Toby Greene (groin) - available, James McDonald (foot) - available, Tim Mohr (hips) - season, Setanta O’hAilpin (knee) - season, Rhys Palmer (hip flexor) - available, Jon Patton (shoulder) - season, Sam Reid (shoulder) - season, Tim Segrave (back) - season, Dylan Shiel (foot) - season, Callan Ward (osteitis pubis) - 2-4 weeks

Players to watch
Melbourne: Sam Blease
Blease shone against the Saints last round, booting a career best five goals. His performance in just his 18th AFL match earned him a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination. After suffering a serious leg break in 2009, Blease has made significant progress this season, playing 13 matches, including the past 12, to reinforce his status as one of Melbourne’s most promising players.

Greater Western Sydney: Luke Power
The co-captain has provided fine leadership and guidance for the Giants in their first year. After three premierships and 282 matches with the Lions, Power will notch up the triple ton this round. He has missed just two matches this season, and is not without a chance of continuing on in 2013. He has been a highly respected player in the AFL for the past decade.

Match-up to watch
Jordie McKenzie v Tom Scully
McKenzie has had some big jobs this year and is the most likely to be given the job on his ex-Demon teammate. It will be the second time Scully has played against the Dees, after lining up in round 13. McKenzie has impressed with his ability to handle the opposition’s prime movers this year.

Most disposals
Melbourne: Nathan Jones (450)
Greater Western Sydney: Callan Ward (440)

Most marks
Melbourne: Jeremy Howe (106)
Greater Western Sydney: Phil Davis (104)

Most tackles
Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie (101)
Greater Western Sydney: Callan Ward (95)

Most goals
Melbourne: Mitch Clark (29)
Greater Western Sydney: Jeremy Cameron (29)

How’s stat?
This will be Melbourne’s fifth match at Manuka Oval, and its first since 2009. The Demons have won just once in the nation’s capital, defeating the Kangaroos by 36 points in their first clash at the venue in round 11, 2005.

Foot in both camps
Those who have been involved with both clubs include: Richard Griffiths, James McDonald and Tom Scully 

What Mark Neeld says …
“Everyone has certain things they're working on and, from a coaching group [perspective] you need to see improvement in each one of those areas.”

Key Melbourne question
Can Melbourne make it two from two against Greater Western Sydney and notch up its fourth win of the season?

Key Greater Western Sydney question
Will the Giants record their third victory for the season - and second at Manuka Oval - to lift them off the bottom of the ladder?    

Summary
The Demons went down to the Saints by 25 points last round and showed some genuine fight in the final quarter, when the margin could have been well over 50 points. Although Melbourne was right in the contest during the third quarter - it trailed by four points at the six minute mark - St Kilda slammed on seven in a row to lead by 50 points at three quarter-time. But the Demons hit back with eight goals to four in the final term. The third quarter proved to be a frustrating 20 minute period for Melbourne. This round, the Dees head to Canberra for the first time in three years for premiership points. The last time Melbourne played at Manuka Oval was in round 17, 2009, when it lost to Sydney Swans by 18 points. This time around, the Demons enter as red hot favourites, after easily accounting for the Giants earlier in the season. Although the Giants lost to the Gold Coast Suns at Carrara last round, Melbourne can’t afford to take the opposition lightly, considering Greater Western Sydney has won in Canberra this year.