Four inclusions for inaugural final

Melbourne has made four big changes to do battle with GWS on Saturday, naming Lauren Pearce, Shelley Heath, Gabby Colvin and Krstel Petrevski in its Semi Final team.

Pearce, who has missed the last two matches with knee soreness, will bolster the Demons’ ruck position, while Shelley Heath will provide some run through the middle.

It will be the first game since Round 3 for 19-year-old Heath, who was forced to the sidelines with illness.

Krstel Petrevski will finally get her shot at senior level, selected for her first AFLW match. The draftee, who hails from Halls Creek, will make her Demon debut on the same weekend as cousin and Melbourne AFL player Toby Bedford.

Gabby Colvin will also return for the Dees after being named as emergency for the past two weeks.

A mix to miss

While the Demons welcome four big names into their side this week, they will be without some handy contributors.

After tearing her ACL last week in Alice Springs, Sarah Lampard will miss the Semi Final clash, while Jackie Parry copped a mild concussion during training earlier in the week.

As announced, Irish recruits Niamh McEvoy and Sinead Goldrick will miss Melbourne’s finals campaign, following the decision to return home amidst the evolving COVID-19 crisis.

Former player and development coach Brooke Patterson has been elevated to fill the emergency spot, should the Dees make a late change.

Oppo watch

Melbourne will go up against GWS for the first time this season.

The GIANTS finished second on the ladder in Conference A (at the end of Round 6) and have won their past two matches.

The game could be won in the middle, with GWS’ midfield set to be a key focus for Melbourne, but both sides will need to be at their best to come out on top.

What it means

With the final two games of the home and away season being scraped, it’s a must-win match for the Demons, who head into their inaugural finals campaign.

Having narrowly missed out on finals each year, they will be hungry to make the most of their opportunity at GIANTS Stadium.

Should they win, the Dees will face the winner of Fremantle and Gold Coast in a Preliminary Final.

Get social

With fans unable to attend Saturday’s match, the Demons will bring all the coverage to their digital channels.

Be sure to follow Melbourne on social media and use the hashtag #GoDees to share your photos and videos with the red and blue.

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Match info

The Dees will make the trip to GIANTS Stadium in just their second interstate trip of the season.

The match, which kicks off at 2.40pm AEDT, will be one of four AFLW finals played this weekend.

For more information, take a look at the Game Day Guide.

Team