Daisy Pearce will lead Melbourne onto the MCG for the first time on Saturday in a monumental moment for the game.
The AFLW has never played a game on the G’ since its inception in 2017, meaning Saturday afternoon’s Preliminary Final between the Demons and Lions will no doubt excite all involved.
Pearce’s side enters the contest as favourites, having lost just one game all year, but come up against a Brisbane outfit who are looking to go back to back after last year’s triumph.
The 33-year-old has played on the MCG turf before but is excited that the first AFLW game at the ground is such an important occasion.
“Obviously it’s the first ever AFLW game on the G', which is exciting for the game itself,” she told SEN’s Whateley.
“Personally, I’ve played a couple there in representative formats, the exhibition series, the first one was at the G', and then a couple of rep games over the journey which I’ve been lucky enough to play in.
“But for this one to be a Preliminary Final, it’s super exciting.
“The group is super excited, the occasion mainly, a Prelim Final is enough to get excited about. But to get out on a ground that we’ve all grown up watching footy on and it’s the centrepiece to where we’ve all fallen in love with footy (is exciting as well).
“So to get the opportunity to get around and run on it is really exciting.”
When the two sides met during the season, Melbourne came from behind to record an impressive three-point win.
If they can do similar this weekend, they’ll be in their first ever Grand Final, which has been delayed a week after Collingwood’s COVID drama in the last fortnight.
Pearce is excited not only about the Preliminary Final, but the spectacle as well, tipping a better quality of game due to playing in the stadium.
“I think it is another step for the game more broadly, throughout the season… entering into the big stadium, it does have a good feeling about it,” she continued.
“I think it does a lot for the quality of the game generally, as we’ve seen the examples this year.
“But let’s hope it’s one of many to come.”
Adelaide hosts Fremantle as the other Preliminary Final on Saturday, the Grand Final to then be played a week later at 12.30pm.
The Round 4 AFL clash between Sydney and North Melbourne has been pushed back to 2.40pm to give the AFLW Grand Final clean air.
Listen to the full interview with Daisy Pearce below