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Sport
Oliver Caffrey

GWS ponder tagging Demons' AFL stars

GWS are yet to decide if they'll tag Melbourne's Christian Petracca (C) and Clayton Oliver (R). (AAP)

GWS will consider not using tagger Lachie Ash on Melbourne's AFL stars as the Giants ponder last year's massive upset of the Demons.

Leon Cameron's team secured one of the club's best wins when they took down the Demons at the MCG last July.

Melbourne were near-unbeatable at the time, and later went onto break their 57-year premiership drought.

The Giants' record at the MCG is also poor, having won just six of 24 games at the venue, but they will take confidence out of the previous showing.

Melbourne are on a 11-game winning streak with their last defeat coming in that match against GWS.

Ash, who is just in his third season as an AFL player, has been sent to stop established stars recently, including Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw and Gold Coast captain Touk Miller.

Melbourne boasts two of the league's best midfielders in Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca but Cameron is undecided if Ash will again be given a tagging role on Saturday night.

"Last year we played them (the Demons) at the MCG and we didn't go with anyone and it was a really tough honest game from all of us.

"Earlier in the year we did (in Canberra) and it didn't work out (when the Giants lost by 34 points).

"It's not just Oliver and Petracca.

"We've got to be mindful of being too negative but Ash has played some good footy on and off players."

The Giants, who remain without dynamic star Toby Greene for another week, have started 1-3 for the second-straight season.

They lose ruckman Braydon Preuss to suspension, but do regain star defender Nick Haynes ahead of battling the Demons.

GWS have also opted to hand a debut to No.3 draft pick Finn Callaghan, who was eager to play after seeing fellow top picks Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos make seamless transitions into the AFL.

In a show of Melbourne's depth, coach Simon Goodwin has dropped versatile defender Adam Tomlinson with premiership backman Harrison Petty back in for his first game of 2022.

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