She had just helped Melbourne Demons hold off a fast-finishing Brisbane by four points in last Saturday's AFLW preliminary final, the first women's game held at the MCG.

The 30-year-old started crying when she spotted some of her uncles, aunts, and cousins in the crowd as she did a lap of the ground.

But it wouldn't be long before the apprentice electrician from Wagga got another jolt of adrenaline which set the tears flowing once more.

After grabbing a phone from one of the Demons' coaches, the defender cheered herself hoarse watching her horse trainer father Gary's horse, Another One, win the Country Championships final at Randwick and a $287,000 winner's cheque.

"It was the best half an hour ever. We won the game and got into the granny and I was doing a lap of the crowd. I ran into my family, and started crying when I saw them," she said.

"They said 'your dad's horse is about to race'. I grabbed one of the coach's phones and watched it in the middle of the MCG. I started crying again and screaming, and everyone was asking 'what are you doing?'

"It was such a great day for the family."

Her father and mother, Karen, didn't make it to Adelaide when the Demons lost to the Crows in a preliminary final. They were in Sydney to watch Another One finish second in the Country Championships final.

But they will be at Adelaide Oval for Saturday's grand final, when the Dees search for the ultimate revenge.

"They're are coming, there's no chance they're missing this one," Gabby said.

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"I did my part and won, so they have to hold up their end of the deal and come across.

"It (preliminary final win) was a great feeling, and I really want that again in the grand final. We'll put everything into it, and the girls are ready for a big one."

Colvin believes the experience of last year's 18-point preliminary final loss in front of one-eyed Crows fans will ensure they won't be intimidated.

"It was a big learning curve, that feeling of sadness after the loss we don't want to feel again," she said.

"It was a very hostile crowd, a bit different to this year's prelim where the MCG was full of Dees supporters.

"We've evolved so much since that game and we've learned a lot, even from the loss at Adelaide this year (14 point loss in round four).

"That was our only loss of the season and we can't go into our shells. They tend to bully us around the ball and we can't take a backward step, we have to stand tall.

"They've got a lot of big bodies, but we have to use our speed and not let them intimidate us."

A match-up between two greats of the game in Melbourne skipper Daisy Pearce and Crows talisman Erin Phillips has justifiably dominated the build-up.

It will be the first grand final of Pearce's decorated career, and she is yet to confirm her playing intentions next year.

"She hasn't announced anything yet and hasn't let on to any of us what she's doing next year. But she's had a ripper year, so I feel like she's got another one in her," Colvin said.

"They're two pioneers of the game and them going head to head in a grand final is huge."

Melbourne will look to follow in the footsteps of the men's side, which sealed their first premiership since 1964 last season.

"The guys came to the prelim and cheered us on, and came to the rooms at half time," he said.

"It's great to see their faces at our game and it shows we're part of the club."

For now, Colvin is hoping the only reason she'll need a phone after Saturday's game is to snap a selfie of a premiership medal around her neck.

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