WHEN these two sides last met in Round 1 of the 2020 season, it wasn’t in the most conventional circumstances.
Not only was it the first time the players were competing in front of an empty stadium, but moments before the match began, it was announced that the AFL season would be postponed for at least 70 days due to the COVID-19 outbreaks across the country.
Talk about daunting.
The Eagles proceeded to come out and kick five unanswered goals, with the Demons unable to score a major until the second quarter.
Despite Melbourne fighting hard in the final term, keeping the home side to just one goal, the early deficit was too great, resulting in a 27-point loss for the Dees.
The two sides will now meet again at Optus Stadium, but this time there will be people in the stands and further games to follow (we hope).
West Coast currently sits seventh on the ladder and will be desperate to put a win on the board to keep its finals chances alive, after a shock loss to 14th-placed Collingwood last week.
Andrew Gaff was best on in the Round 1 match last year, with Melbourne unable to shut down the midfielder, letting him rack up 30 disposals and hit the scoreboard with a goal.
On Monday, Gaff will once again need to be restricted from impact, having continued his strong form into the 2021 season, currently averaging 28 disposals.
The Demons, who sit third on the ladder, are coming off the back of a 98-point win over Gold Coast in Round 20 and will be hoping to keep this momentum on the field.
The trick for Melbourne on Monday will be getting off to a quick start so as to not repeat last year’s first quarter onslaught of five goals to none.
In addition, the Demons will be looking to focus on contested possessions, as they currently lead the league with an average of 148 per game, a fair strength heading into the match, with West Coast’s average sitting at 131.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn will go head-to-head with Nic Naitanui, a match-up that many will be eager to watch, both players arguably the top ruckmen in the league.
Gawn currently leads the competition with a total of 615 hit-outs while Naitanui sits in second with 569.
Heading into the Monday night game, coach Simon Goodwin says his side understands the challenge they face playing West Coast at Optus Stadium.
“In Perth, they play some really strong footy, so we know what we’re up against,” Goodwin said.
“If you look at their team, they’ve got some high-quality players right throughout every area of the ground.
"We're going to have to be right at our best on the road, in a really hostile environment, to get the result."
Monday night’s game will begin at 8:10pm AEST (6:10pm local) and will be broadcast via Seven Network.
