A TRIP to the MCG doesn't lose that special feeling for Greater Western Sydney forward Devon Smith.

Raised in the small town of Lara, just north of Geelong, Smith knows good teams play the `G well.

The Giants have fewer chances than most to impress on the Grand Final venue and are desperate to do so against Richmond on Saturday afternoon.

The meeting with the Tigers is a neat intersection between the Giants' best and worst form.

On their last outing to the MCG, the Giants were terrific: unlucky not to upset Hawthorn after leading by two goals deep into the third quarter.

GWS would rue missed chances, the premiers were saved by two final-term shots for goal hitting the post.

A week earlier, the Giants hosted then crisis-club Richmond and were given a good chance of upsetting the Tigers on their home patch.

Instead Richmond handed the expansion side a 111-point hiding, with Jack Riewoldt's 11 goals comfortably covering their paltry score of 5.11 (41).

Smith said their last meeting with the Tigers was a low point of the year.

"There's nothing worse than going to a game and you think you're a chance and they come out and beat you by a hundred points," he said.

"It's pretty deflating."

Conversely, Smith said the Hawthorn game gave him confidence they could perform on the big stage.

The Giants will be reunited with delisted midfielder Anthony Miles, who has seized his second chance at AFL football in Richmond's yellow sash.

Since a call-up from the rookie list and first game in round 12, Miles hasn't missed a game is one of the reasons behind Richmond's current four-game winning streak.

Smith calls Miles one of the best blokes he's met in football, and is delighted with his form at the Tigers.

But after weathering the Giants' early season-woes, Smith looks a good bet to stay with the improving Giants.

The forward grew up near Geelong but understands the need to stick at it.

"Most of the boys realise what we're building up here can be pretty special if we keep the core group together," he said.

"It has been hard and there have been times where you doubt what we've been doing.

"We've got a few senior players back this year, and I'm really excited about the future and what it holds."

Smith, who will have contract talks at the end of the year, is contracted to the end of the 2015 season.