Giants start favourites against Demons

Former Swans AFL premiership-winning coach Paul Roos will return to Sydney for the first time as Melbourne mentor, with his winless Demons side considered the underdogs for their clash with GWS Giants on Sunday.

It will be the Giants’ last match in Sydney for six rounds, as they play their next two home games in Canberra, with their regular venue required for the upcoming Sydney Easter Show.

Another defeat would make Melbourne the first club ever to lose two AFL games to the Giants, whose only win last year came against the Demons.

Betting institutions have GWS listed as a clear favourite, a rare status for the third-year Giants, who have won just four games.

“We obviously want to keep improving and if we are improving, we are going to go into games as favourites,” Giants defender Adam Kennedy told AAP.

“But that’s something you let other people talk about, it’s irrelevant to us.

“We saw what happened round one with us and Sydney, upsets can happen.”

Demons co-captain Nathan Jones labelled GWS as favourites, but regarded the club’s only fixture outside Melbourne in the first six rounds as an opportunity to come together.

“I think where we’re coming from and where we are at, any team’s going to be a challenge,” Jones said.

“It’s a great time to get up there away from Melbourne and try to galvanise as a group.”

GWS are anticipating a whirlwind start from a Melbourne side widely lambasted following their 93-point round two hammering by West Coast.

“I think for both clubs it’s a good opportunity,” said Kennedy, whose team are 1-1 after last week’s narrow loss to St Kilda.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve had some really good battles with Melbourne, so it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.

“They are going to want to bounce back.

“We’ve got to be aware of that and be on top of our game and try and nullify that first quarter, because we expect them to come out pretty strong.

“I think they are just going to make rapid improvement just like we’re trying to, we’re actually two clubs in fairly similar positions.”

Will Hoskin-Elliott will play his first game for the season for GWS in place of injured midfielder Lachie Whitfield.

The Demons have recalled Jack Viney, Dean Kent, Michael Evans and omitted Viv Michie, Jimmy Toumpas and Jack Trengove.

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