NORTH MELBOURNE has all the momentum, while Melbourne will have watched last week's semi-finals with bated breath. All season the Demons have been touted as one of the best teams in the competition and the Roos have had to battle every other finalist on its way to this weekend's preliminary final. 

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Melbourne v North Melbourne at Ikon Park at 3:10pm AEDT 

Head-to-head history 
Melbourne and North Melbourne have played off five times over the course of AFLW history, and although the latter took the first points between the sides, the Demons have since won four straight. While Melbourne wins out on the ledger, no game has been decided by more than 10 points, with the average margin just 5.4 points. 

Last time they met 
They last played in round two this season, on none other than the MCG, and a dramatic goal in the dying minutes from Alyssa Bannan handed a two-point win to Melbourne. As two sides particularly adept at defending, and defending high up the ground, it was an armwrestle for the duration. 

Ash Riddell led the field for disposals with 26, while star midfielder Jasmine Garner won 10 clearances - the resulting difference between the two sides in the metric. Despite North Melbourne's dominance around the ball, the Demons engaged their now-signature handball game, winning 50 more than the Roos, to spend extended periods in the forward half. 

Melbourne's biggest issue for the game was an inability to capitalise on that time in attack, kicking 3.8 (26) to North Melbourne's four straight goals. Both teams kicked opportunistic goals in the struggle, with Daisy Pearce landing two for the Demons, and Emma King two for the Kangaroos. 

Key match-up 
When they met in round two, emerging Roo Amy Smith spent plenty of time running alongside Karen Paxman, and there is fair reason to expect North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker will look for more of the same. In that game Paxman won 18 disposals, took five marks and had four score involvements, while Smith had 13 disposals, four intercepts and a debut goal of her own. 

Paxman's intelligence and physical capabilities are so important to Melbourne's game. She is able to do damage herself while also bringing teammates into the game. Smith's tank to go with her, and willingness to apply defensive pressure, gives North Melbourne the best chance of slowing Paxman's impact. 

What the Demon is very good at, however, is finding ways to adapt and positively influence her side even when an opponent has been tasked with stopping her, including blocking at stoppages for other ball-winning teammates. 

The state of play 
Neither of these sides has ever lost at Ikon Park from a combined seven starts. That will change on Saturday afternoon. 

North Melbourne will come into this one full of confidence, knowing that it has the ability to shift and adjust to the opponent's game style. The Kangaroos will try to execute the style of play they achieved last week - essentially a game of keepings-off - but this is a much tougher prospect against a hardened Melbourne side.  

It is the side's focus on winning and controlling the uncontested ball that will be most important. Some 52.4 per cent of the Roos' possessions this season have been uncontested, while Melbourne is more focused on winning the contested possession and forcing contested possession on its opponent as well. 

Melbourne coach Mick Stinear may choose to send small defender Shelley Heath to play a defensive forward role on Emma Kearney, given the potential of the Roos captain to change the momentum of games. The other potential match-up to watch out for is dashing defender Brooke Brown on big-game player Alyssa Bannan. Both are quick, highly athletic and like to get up the ground so will undoubtedly trade blows all afternoon. 

What it will really come down to, however, is the ability to take away the opposition's best asset. Melbourne will need to prevent the Roos playing their uncontested, kick-mark game. North Melbourne will need to apply immense pressure around the ball to shut down the Dees' handball game. 

Tip 
The Demons will continue their winning streak against the Kangaroos ... just. Melbourne by two points. 

A STUNNING final quarter goal to Daisy Pearce has booked Melbourne's place in consecutive Grand Finals, breaking the hearts of North Melbourne in the process.

Melbourne got the job done, 5.3 (33) to North Melbourne's 2.4 (16) at a windy Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon to secure a battle between the first and second-placed sides of the season.

DEES v ROOS Full match coverage and stats

It wasn't easy for the Demons, with the eventual 17-point victory the result - the largest margin between the two sides - coming after a physical, contested match.

It was a spark of brilliance from captain Pearce late in the game that secured the victory, finding her first piece of empty grass in attack all day to swing around and snap a huge goal from 35m as the crowd roared.

Early on Karen Paxman was the only Demon able to find the ball in space, as North Melbourne brought immense pressure around the ball, refusing to let Melbourne win the control by hand that it has become known for this season.

STAR DOWN Dees hose down Harris injury concern

To half time, the Roos had registered 32 tackles and 16 one percenters, indicating just how tight and tough they made life for the Demons right across the field.

That pressure made the usually composed Demons panic at times, particularly coming out of defence, opening the door for North Melbourne in attack. Melbourne, however, was repeatedly saved by wayward shots, or the ball falling agonisingly short of the Roos' goal line.

In defence, the Kangaroos played with a spare. Their deepest defender, typically Jasmine Ferguson, would sit between Melbourne's deepest forward and the goal line, while another Roo, often Sarah Wright, would then take space in front. This closed off any leading lanes or space the Demons tried to generate inside 50, severely limiting Melbourne's ability to score.

The Demons were often caught wanting to move the ball quickly, but with the Roos' well-disciplined backline, found themselves kicking to an outnumber or, worse, a sole Kangaroo ready to take an uncontested mark and repel.

Kearney starred for the Roos behind the ball, left to intercept and rebound at will, finishing the game with 10 intercepts from 17 disposals, while star midfielder's Jasmine Garner's 24 disposals and nine tackles couldn't get her side over the line.

For Melbourne, Paxman and Tyla Hanks worked tirelessly winning a combined 39 disposals, 10 clearances and laying 19 tackles for the day, surging their side across the line.

No reward for effort
North Melbourne dominated the third quarter, registering 18 inside 50s to Melbourne's two, but was able to score just two behinds. The Roos set up expertly to trap the ball in their attacking half and intercepted at will, but were let down by an inability to take marks close enough to goal to generate genuine scoring attempts. For the likes of Libby Birch, Maeve Chaplin, and Sarah Lampard there was little reprieve as they worked tirelessly to rebound only for it to come straight back in.

The Tayla factor
Tayla Harris has been a woman reborn this season, playing largely through the ruck to get heavily involved in games up the field. A left shoulder injury in the opening quarter, however, limited her ability to ruck and therefore saw her sit in attack for the remainder of the game. This wreaked havoc with Melbourne's structures, as Eden Zanker was called up to support Lauren Pearce against the Roo duo of Kim Rennie and Emma King and lowered the Demons' flexibility in attack.

What's next?
Melbourne will now prepare for the biggest game of the season, a Grand Final against a rampaging Brisbane at the latter's brand new home deck in Springfield. For North Melbourne, it's all over after an impressive season seven.

MELBOURNE               2.0     3.1     3.1     5.3     (33)
NORTH MELBOURNE  1.0     2.2     2.4     2.4     (16)

GOALS
Melbourne: Fitzsimon, Mithen, Sherriff, Hore, D.Pearce
North Melbourne: Randall, E.King

BEST
Melbourne: Paxman, Mithen, Hanks, Heath
North Melbourne: Kearney, Garner, Riddell, Wright

INJURIES
Melbourne: Harris (left shoulder)
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 5,592 at Ikon Park