He knows while they'll be outnumbered in the stands, his side only has to beat 22 people in yellow and black jumpers to advance to the AFL grand final.

The Giants will play in front of a packed house against the Richmond Tigers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Only a few thousand of them will be wearing the orange and charcoal of the Giants - but that doesn't bother Davis one bit.

"We're expecting a very hostile crowd in the sense that they'll be cheering very one-eyed for the Tigers, and try and do whatever it takes to help their team win," Davis said.

"But fortunately for us, they can't actually play. It's 22 versus 22 and we'll really embrace the enormity of the situation, in a preliminary final in front of a big crowd, it's going to be fantastic."

Canberra junior Davis left the Adelaide Crows to become a foundation player for the Giants in 2012, and a flag would be sweet vindication given his former club's status as flag favourites on Friday.

But standing in his way is a Richmond side driven by unbackable Brownlow Medal favourite Dustin Martin desperate to break a 37-year premiership drought.

"It's everyone's dream to make a grand final and that's what is at stake this weekend," Davis said.

"To take a team to its first grand final would be a huge achievement but there's a very good side in between us and that dream.

"We'll be concentrating solely on this weekend and what it's going to take us to win that game and move on."

The Giants lost last year's preliminary final by six points to shatter their premiership hopes and the heartache of that loss is spurring them on this time around.

Davis has "no doubt" last year's heartbreak holds the Giants in good stead because "when the tide turns, we can draw on some of those experiences".

The Tigers on the other hand are preparing for their first preliminary final since 2001.

While most of the Giants have tasted preliminary final action before, one that hasn't is one of their most experienced players - former Tiger Brett Deledio.

Deledio will play his 250th AFL game against his former club and the legacy he left at the Tigers could mean he is the one exception to Richmond fans' booing of the Giants.

"To play in the first prelim of his career is a pretty exciting time. He's excited, obviously it's a new challenge to be playing against your old side for the first time in a prelim in front of 90,000," Davis said.

"He did a lot of great things for the Richmond footy club so I'm sure there'll still be a fair bit of love there."

Giants coach Leon Cameron named an unchanged line-up for the biggest game in the club's short history, opting to keep Canberra's Harry Himmelberg in the side.

Cameron's biggest headache was the right knee of veteran Steve Johnson, but the forward pulled up well after booting a six-goal haul in last week's West Coast demolition and Davis is expecting more of the same.

"He's been there and done that, he's played well in big games before and this is another big game," Davis said.

"His experience is going to be invaluable for everyone and he makes everyone walk tall. That's a great trait to have and it's exciting that if his body is all fine, that he'll be out there to help us push for the victory."

AFL PRELIMINARY FINAL

Saturday: Richmond Tigers v GWS Giants at Melbourne Cricket Ground, 4.45pm. TV time: Live on Fox Footy and Channel Seven.