After an impressive start, the Rebels have dropped their last three games to fall back to the chasing pack in the Australian conference.

They are counting on a repeat of their round seven 19-point win over the Reds to set up the back end of their season, with finals in sight.

Melbourne coach Dave Wessels signalled his intent by shifting lock Luke Jones to flanker and bringing Ross Haylett-Petty into the second row as an extra line-out option.

Test lock Adam Coleman is unavailable with a shoulder injury.

The Reds, meanwhile, have handed 21-year-old Angus Blyth his run-on debut.

"Moving Luke (Jones) to six to give us two lineout options was one of the ways that we got ahead in the first match against the Reds, as we tried to create some pressure on their line-out," Wessels said.

"I think we're the No.1 lineout in the comp at the moment through a huge amount of work and it's something we're really proud of.

"Our set-piece is really going well ... if it can give us an advantage in the game, all the better."

Wessels also talked up the Rebels' scrum, saying it was a "point of difference" despite their loss to the Hurricanes last round.

But he said his team would have their work cut out against the Reds, with wily coach Brad Thorn handing down his All Blacks secrets.

"We're proud of that but obviously it's a huge test this weekend," Wessels said.

"The Reds have got a scrum that they pride themselves on and we've worked very hard this week to make sure that we can compete with that."

Former Queensland duo Will Genia and Quade Cooper dominated in the Suncorp Stadium match with the Reds making no secret of their plans to go after the halves this time around.

"The teams that have done well against them have actually denied them momentum," said Reds attack coach Jim Mackay.

"When they're playing off slower ball that's when they don't have as many options."

Mackay needled the home side about their recent record, comparing it to the Reds who have won their past two.

"They're coming off the back of three losses and they wouldn't like that, no team would," he said.

"They'll be huffing and puffing and want to set that right.

"In the meantime we've hung in there (to win two straight matches) ... we've got some momentum."

Australian Associated Press