Where and When: Saturday, July 3 at 1:45pm, MCG

Last time they met: The two teams last met in round three in Canberra.  The match is remembered for as a tough Easter Sunday for the GIANTS who lost captain Stephen Coniglio and leadership group members Phil Davis and Matt de Boer mid-match through injury. Despite the GIANTS impressing with a five-goal opening term, the Demons fought back against the depleted GIANTS to record a 34-point win which saw Melbourne remain undefeated and the GIANTS winless through three rounds. 

Where to watch: Saturday’s match will be shown live on Channel 7 in NSW and the ACT and Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 1.30pm.

What it means for the GIANTS: After a disappointing loss to the 17th placed Hawks last week at the MCG, a win is crucial to stay in touch with the top eight. Heading into round 16, the GIANTS sit in 10th position on the ladder; just two points off eighth placed Richmond but have Fremantle one spot ahead in ninth. of us  Lachie Whitfield was the only GIANT to feature in the coaches votes against the Hawks and will need a number of his experienced teammates to lift their performance against the top of the table Demons. The good news is that the GIANTS have a history of bouncing back from bad losses and there would be no better time than this Saturday with the majority of their fanbase in lockdown in Sydney.

06:32

Hopper: 'Every game is a must win for us'

Jacob Hopper spoke to the media about the GIANTS prolonged stay in Melbourne, the upcoming game against Melbourne, and the possibility of Coniglio playing VFL this weekend.

Where’s the opposition at: The Demons have been the surprise packets of 2021. With eight rounds to play, the Dees sit a game clear on top of the table and have been lauded for their performances across the season. The GIANTS struggled to penetrate Hawthorn’s defensive structures last week and there’s no doubt this will be a huge focus this week as the Demon’s duo of Steven May and Jake Lever have caused headaches for the opposition all year.

The number: 56. Come game day, it’s going to be 56 days since the GIANTS sung the song in consecutive weeks. The fact the GIANTS haven’t won consecutive games since round seven and eight (and have only done it twice this year), goes a long way to explaining why the club currently sits in 10th spot. If the GIANTS are to mark their 10th season in the AFL with a fifth finals berth, season best form and consecutive winning performances must start now.

01:40

VFL R11 Highlights: GIANTS v Swans

Catch all the exciting highlights from the round 11 GIANTS VFL game who left victorious with a 38 point win over the Swans at Olympic Park Oval in Melbourne.

In the mix: Continuing the trend of recent weeks, there are a number of familiar names in the mix to return to the side. Key forward Jesse Hogan (calf) has been cleared to play and Stephen Coniglio and Sam Taylor (both ankle) are both listed as “test” ahead of Thursday’s main session. Shane Mumford (back) hasn’t played since Hobart and could be recalled as well as exciting youngsters Tom Green, Lachie Ash, Xavier O’Halloran and Jake Riccardi who are all banging down the door with strong VFL form. It’ll be an intriguing match committee meeting for the club’s hierarchy.