Greater Western Sydney knows if they want to win an AFL premiership, they'll have to conquer their demons at the MCG.
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A Saturday date with Melbourne looms and the Giants plan on making themselves comfortable at the grand final venue.
GWS have won just eight out of 30 games played at the MCG across regular seasons and finals series since debuting in 2011.
They lost all three matches in 2022, before claiming one out of three last season - their final match being a heartbreaking one-point preliminary final loss to eventual premiers Collingwood.
Adam Kingsley's men were handed two home-and-away fixtures at the venue this year and won their first, beating a daring Richmond unit by 24 points in round 18.
Another win at the venue will be crucial in their flag campaign and in-form goalkicker Jesse Hogan says his side are well aware.
"'Kingers' summed it up two weeks ago (against Richmond) when he said, 'If you're going to win the flag and hold up the cup, this is where you have to do it'," Hogan said on Monday.
"Every opportunity we get to play there, we don't take it lightly.
"We were lucky enough to play a few finals at the end of the year last year and get a bit of experience there.
"It's a nice little precursor. I'm not going to say we're playing finals or anything by any stretch, but this is as close as it gets to without playing finals."
Hogan was instrumental in the Richmond win, kicking four majors to match captain Toby Greene's haul, and is shaping up to do the same after again scoring four against Gold Coast last time out.
The Coleman Medal contender, second in the league on 49 goals, will also line up against his first club.
"I don't know if it's excitement or nerves, but it's definitely something," Hogan said.
"I'm still friends with a lot of those guys and I've actually never really played that well against them so hopefully this week can be a bit different."
All-Australian defender Sam Taylor is expected to return to the side after recovering from a groin injury.
Taylor had put his hand up for selection against Gold Coast last round but missed out.
"We had to help him cool off in the afternoon a bit. He really wanted to play," fellow defender Jack Buckley said of Taylor.
"It was great to see that he was that close and that confident that he was ready to get back out there.
"I'm looking forward to having him back this week - I assume. If they left him out this week, I think it would be some pretty bad sights."
Australian Associated Press
