Melbourne defender Sarah Lampard has sounded a warning to AFLW premiership rivals, declaring her side better placed than ever to secure a breakthrough flag.
Runners-up to Adelaide last season, the Demons have regularly been one of the competition's best-performed teams without ever claiming silverware.
But they are brimming with confidence as they ride a seven-match winning streak into Saturday's preliminary final against North Melbourne at Ikon Park.
"I've been there since the start, this is my seventh season, and this feels like the most ready we've been," Lampard told AAP.
"It's the most fine-tuned we've had our game plan and everyone's onboard, everyone's doing their bit and playing their role to help the team succeed.
"The team's in a really good space and we'll have a really good crack against North. If we win that, we'll go again."
Melbourne have been held up alongside three-time premiers Adelaide and 2021 champions Brisbane as the teams to beat all season, and the heavyweight trio justified that billing by reaching the penultimate week of the campaign.
But the gate-crashing Kangaroos - whose only three losses this season have been against the aforementioned sides - are unlikely to be pushovers.
North flexed their muscles in a 74-38 thrashing of Richmond in their semi-final, kicking their highest score of the season in the process.
And they are hell-bent on fulfilling coach Darren Crocker's assertion that they too deserve to sit in the competition's upper echelon.
"North's been a great team for a few years and they really pushed us in round two," Lampard said.
"We're expecting them to come out hard at us and we're ready for a strong contest.
"It was quite an impressive win by them (last week), especially to score over 70 points, so we're aware of how they can turn it on when they need to."
Experienced defender Lampard said the Demons' team-oriented defensive approach will be key against North's dangerous attack, led by Tahlia Randall and Emma King.
Gun midfielder Jasmine Garner is another focal point, having shaken off a tag to star in the Kangaroos' semi-final triumph.
"She's been in great form this season and has had a good finals campaign so far," Lampard said.
"We'll be aware of her and make sure she's not getting too much of the footy.
"That will start with our mids and making sure that they respect her around the ball."
Melbourne boast a 4-1 record against North but little has split the two sides, with those contests producing an average margin of just 5.4 points.
