SUMMARY
The third-placed Demons face off against the fourth-placed Crows in a hugely important clash for both sides. Melbourne has won four games on the trot, but a win over last year's Grand Finalists would add some legitimacy to their finals credentials. The Demons have scored 315 points in their past two weeks and are fresh off a 109-point rout of Carlton. Melbourne's versatile forward line could prove to be a handful for Adelaide, with Jake Melksham (five goals against the Blues), Tom McDonald (four) and Alex Neal-Bullen (four) all in fine form. Despite being hit hard by injury, the Crows have won four of their past five encounters and appear in good shape to again finish in the top four. After a relatively slow start to the year, Eddie Betts has started to recapture his best form and has booted nine goals in the past three weeks. Betts and Demon Neville Jetta are expected to go toe-to-toe in what will be an enthralling match-up between two of the game's top indigenous players, with the Melbourne-Adelaide clash to kick off the celebrations for Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round the following week.
WHERE AND WHEN: TIO Traeger Park (Alice Springs), Sunday May 27, 2.50pm (ACST)
LAST FIVE TIMES
R17, 2017, Adelaide 17.14 (116) d Melbourne 10.10 (70) at TIO Stadium
R8, 2017, Melbourne 17.5 (107) d Adelaide 9.12 (66) at Adelaide Oval
R15, 2016, Adelaide 18.12 (120) d Melbourne 15.8 (98) at the MCG
R3, 2015, Adelaide 12.8 (80) d Melbourne 7.13 (55) at Adelaide Oval
R7, 2014, Melbourne 11.4 (70) d Adelaide 9.13 (67) at Adelaide Oval
THE SIX POINTS
1. Melbourne is the best side this season for taking the ball inside 50, averaging 61.1 per game. They're also ranked first for marks inside 50 and first for scoring. In the past four games, Melbourne is averaging 129 points per game.
2. Adelaide has won three of the past four clashes and five of seven since 2012; there haven't been close finishes between the sides recently, with just one single figure result since 2007.
3. The Demons have now won 14 consecutive quarters and in their past four games they’ve kicked 78.51 to their opponents' 37.44. For the whole season they are +114 points in third quarters.
4. Melbourne will play its fifth "home" game at TIO Traeger Park where it has had just one win, which came last season against Gold Coast. The Crows will be playing in Alice Springs for the first time.
5. It will be a contest between the two best contested possession teams this season. The Demons are No.1 in the AFL, averaging 163.6 per game. They sit marginally ahead of the Crows in second with an average of 159.7.
6. Melbourne forward Jake Melksham scored a staggering 40.4 points in the Schick AFL Player Ratings last week against Carlton, the fifth-highest recorded since 2010.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Jake Lever. Lever left the Crows on acrimonious terms at the end of last season and after some parting shots levelled at him following his departure, he will be keen to play well. The defender played his best game for Melbourne last week and he'll be looking to continue that form against his old side in Alice Springs.
PREDICTION: Melbourne by 16 points
