St Kilda has set its sights on the clash with Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium with the hope of breaking the deadlock that still hangs between the two sides.

With Round 5’s nail-biting draw playing on both teams’ minds, both the Saints and Giants will be seeking closure to move past the agonising result.

While GWS boasts many strengths, its midfield has arguably been its most feared asset, with the likes of Callan Ward, Dylan Shiel and Stephen Coniglio sublime all season.

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But it has been Josh Kelly who’s been the most prominent this season despite his limited game-time, with the star Giant seemingly initiating his side’s turnaround following his return.

Averaging an impressive 29.3 disposals a game after coming back from injury, Kelly’s injection of flair, as well as his dangerous ability to drive the ball forward, has been integral to GWS’ resurgence and growing dominance at clearances (687).

The return of Blake Acres will be a welcome addition, however, with the young gun lining up for his first senior game since Round 8.

While the Giants’ forward and midfield stocks have been hit hard over the course of the season, their back-end has, for the most part, held together in an injury-ravaged year.

Blake Acres will play his first game for the Saints since Round 8.

Phil Davis and Heath Shaw have served as the Giants’ defensive pillars – their side crumbling without the duo working in tandem – indicative in their losses against North Melbourne and Essendon in the absence of Davis.

Conversely, Shaw has been a constant all year; the 32-year-old leads the league for rebound 50s (117) and acts as the main distributor across half-back.

St Kilda will be tackling an entirely new GWS forward setup compared to what they faced in Round 5, with key forwards Jonathon Patton and Jeremy Cameron both out through injury and suspension respectively.

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The Giants have been forced to take different avenues to goal as a result but have had a wide array of contributors to help fill the void.

While the Giants’ 9.19 (73) cost them a victory in Round 5, their speedy movement going forward and sheer number of shots on goal has held them in good stead, despite their accuracy being among the lowest in the competition.

With a second straight draw almost inconceivable, the Saints will be fixed on leaving GWS in their wake and notching up their fifth win of the year.

Test your knowledge on our history with Greater Western Sydney as we prepare to face-off against the Giants this Saturday at Spotless Stadium.