The final round of the AFLW home and away season has arrived, with Geelong set to take on Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night. 

While it would take a minor miracle for the Cats to sneak into the top eight, it will still be an enthralling battle against the Demons who rate as one of the best teams in the competition in numerous different areas.

But while Melbourne sit comfortably in the top four as things currently stand, they have also been defeated in two of the past three weeks, giving Geelong a chance to end their season on a positive note. 

Check out the top things to watch on Saturday night, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder 

Geelong Cats: 12th (5-6)

Melbourne: 3rd (8-3)

Points For 

Geelong Cats: 455

Melbourne: 625

Points Against 

Geelong Cats: 480

Melbourne: 282

Recent History - Geelong v Melbourne 

These teams have produced two of the most entertaining games in the league's history in their most recent meetings, with both matches decided by less than a kick. 

In the 2023 Semi Final, the Cats recorded their most significant win in the AFLW as they knocked off the reigning premiers, defeating Melbourne by five points at IKON Park. 

Melbourne got their own back in the opening round of the 2024 season, hanging on to defeat Geelong by two points in another enthralling clash at GMHBA Stadium. 

Will these two teams have another classic in store for Saturday night?

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week - Locking the Ball Inside 50

There are a number of key statistics that Melbourne rank highly in, but their ability to rebound the ball out of their defensive 50 and counter-attack has been second to none in 2025.

The Demons rebound an average of 86.5% of opposition's inside 50 entries, comfortably ranked as the number one team in the AFLW in that statistic.

They also sit second in the league for inside 50 entries and second for metres gained, able to use the ball cleanly and quickly to turn defence into offense. 

Picking off an average of 71.8 intercept possessions per game, Melbourne also sit first in the AFLW for that statistic this year, something Geelong will need to be wary of on Saturday night. 

Melbourne's Key Stats

Demons Player to Watch - Eden Zanker

Melbourne have numerous options inside forward 50 capable of changing a game, with three different players ranked inside the top 15 on the AFLW's goal-kicking leaderboard in 2025. 

But there are none more dangerous than Eden Zanker, with her ability to hit the scoreboard in the hurry and take games away from the opposition. 

Zanker leads the Demons with 18 goals for the season, sitting just clear of Kate Hore (17 goals) and Tayla Harris (13 goals). 

A fortnight ago Zanker kicked four goals against Sydney, following on from a five goal haul against West Coast in Round 6, only being held goalless on three occasions this year. 

Zanker has also kicked six goals in her three career matches against Geelong, a trend the Cats will be looking to reverse on Saturday. 

Where Geelong Can Improve - Stoppage Clearances

Considering the conditions last week, there is not much to takeaway from Geelong's clash with the Western Bulldogs, other than the victory. 

But one area that the Cats were soundly beaten in was stoppage clearances, losing that battle 18-9 to the Bulldogs at Mars Stadium. 

It has been a familiar trend for Geelong in 2025, ranked last in the AFLW with an average of 14.3 stoppage clearances per game. 

By comparison, Melbourne rank third in the competition this year with an average of 19.1 stoppage clearances per game, setting up an interesting battle in that area of the game this weekend.