SUNS Senior Coach Stuart Dew is hoping Northern Territory product Joel Jeffrey’s impressive form can help his team kick a winning score against Melbourne on the weekend.

Jeffrey has smashed the selection door down with 12 goals in the past two weeks, including nine against Aspley on the weekend, and 19 in the past six.

He will make his long-awaited AFL debut this weekend and Dew said it was a reward for the effort the young forward has put into his craft.

“It has been a really good build up for him from when he first came to the footy club,” Dew said.

“He obviously had an outstanding game on the weekend but he’s had multiple shots at goal for a number of weeks now.

“The way he has been playing has impressed us, he has put in a really good body of work. It is a fantastic moment for Joel and us, as a footy club.”

Dew said Jeffrey would match up well against a tall Melbourne backline.

"He can kick it a number of ways," Dew said.

"Whether it's a front-and-square, he can mark it, he slides out really well defensively, he's formidable when he's on the lead as well because he's a bit hard to match up on because he's quite good at ground level.

"He just comes in with confidence and with a really good month to six weeks behind him."

 The SUNS will be wanting to respond from what Dew labelled as a “frustrating” second half against the Brisbane Lions in the QClash last weekend.

“It was clear frustration across the board, from the players through to the coaching staff and the footy club,” Dew said.

“But there was some really good signs in that first half, we were able to push a top five team, so our challenge is and has been the last month, to replicate that first half.

“We think we can respond and then let our body of work speak for itself but we must start well obviously, to respond after last week.”

The match against Melbourne will take place at Metricon Stadium at 3:10pm on Saturday.