Expert
Melbourne will host Geelong in a home elimination final after steamrolling GWS by 45 points at the MCG to secure fifth spot on the AFL ladder.
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Final score
Melbourne Demons 15.12.102
GWS Giants 8.9.57
The Melbourne Demons and Greater Western Sydney Giants face off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Round 23 AFL action. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 3:20pm (AEST).
With both teams now destined to finish somewhere between fifth to eighth on the ladder, this game shapes as a match to decide the final positions in the lower half of the eight.
Both are assured of finals action and the celebrations undertaken by the Demons’ fans last week show just how important that achievement is for one of the traditional Melbourne clubs.
The Giants have been ravaged by injury and bravely battled on despite being severely undermanned over the last month.
There are a host of players just a week or two away yet it looks like many will make their return in the first week of the finals.
The mob in orange could leap into fifth on the ladder with a dominant performance and the Demons could vault as high as fifth with a win of their own.
Strangley, the teams could meet again early in the finals and this game could be a decisive confidence boost for the victor.
With a week off for both and assured finals action, there might be something held in the reserve tank.
Conversely, with both teams looking for momentum, it could turn into a classic encounter.
Prediction
With the shackles released from the Demons after securing finals action for the first time in over a decade, they will play freely against the Giants.
It will prove challenging for a GWS team still waiting on the return of troops to strengthen its chances of a successful September.
Demons by four goals.
Catch all the action on The Roar, live coverage from 3:20pm (AEST).