Shannon Byrnes has more motivation than most Geelong players for a big game against Melbourne in their AFL match at the MCG on Sunday.

Byrnes said the Cats had spoken this week about the need to maintain their intensity, in a game where they will start as the hottest of favourites.

Geelong are unbeaten, while Melbourne only have one win and lost at home last Sunday to Adelaide.

Byrnes, 25, is also under no illusions that if he drops off his workrate, there are plenty of team-mates ready to fill his role in the senior team as a small forward.

After only nine senior games last year and being one of the emergencies through the finals series, Byrnes is determined to elevate his status at Geelong above fringe level.

Byrnes returned to the team in round three and is averaging more than 18 disposals per game so far this season.

"It's good to come in and be able to provide something for the team straight away and not try to find my feet," he said.

"I don't want to make up the numbers this year, I want to be an important part of the team.

"If you're just getting the job done, it can be easy for them to think `aw, we'll try someone else'."

The 2007 premiership player was frustrated after last year and started his pre-season as soon as possible.

He missed the opening two games of the season, but coach Mark Thompson made it clear that Byrnes was not far off senior selection.

"'Bomber' had a good talk to me when he left me out of the side and told me I was very unlucky, to hang in there," Byrnes said.

"It would have been easy to be disappointed, but I knew I was close, so I just had to put a few good games together (in the VFL)."

The Cats will field an unchanged side against the Demons and their side will feature Byrnes, Travis Varcoe and Mathew Stokes - usually, only two of them are in the seniors.

It highlights the pressure on senior spots at Geelong, who are determined to produce the same sort of performance that gave Brisbane no chance last weekend.

"You can fall into the trap of thinking it's going to be an easy game, with them coming off a loss and us coming off a win," Byrnes said.

"That's when you let teams into the game, I suppose.

"We've spoken about that during the week and we're going into the game with the same mindset we did (against Brisbane) - focus on the defensive pressure, which obviously paid off."

The Demons welcome back key forward Russell Robertson for the first time this season and have also recalled Addam Maric.

Robertson has not played in the seniors since rupturing his Achilles tendon in round 10 last season.

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