Scott Thompson and Ben Rutten have each played in 19 Showdowns – the most of any current Crows player. Andrew McLeod, who played in 27, holds Adelaide’s Showdown record.
Rory Sloane is ranked No.1 in the AFL for tackles after Round One. Sloane laid a League-high 12 tackles against Geelong at Simonds Stadium.
Not much has separated these two teams in recent times – the past two Showdowns have been decided by a combined total of 13 points.
Port Adelaide conceded the fewest marks in Round One. The Power also kept hold of the football, ranked No.2 for time in possession.
Ollie Wines had the equal-most clearances (11) of any player in Round One level with Greater Western Sydney co-captain Callan Ward.
The Crows could have as many as eight new faces this week compared to the team that played Port Adelaide in Round 19 last season. Nathan van Berlo, Ricky Henderson, Tom Lynch and Andy Otten will all be missing through injury. Jared Petrenko, Richard Douglas and Rory Laird didn’t play against Geelong last weekend, while Bernie Vince lined up for new club Melbourne.
Patrick Dangerfield collected 17 contested possessions in Round One – ranked 5th in the League.
Brodie Smith had a team-high eight rebound 50ms against Geelong – the second most of any player in the competition in Round One.
Showdown XXXVI will be the first game on the redeveloped Adelaide Oval. The redevelopment included some changes to the ground’s shape but at 167m long and 124m wide (wing boundary line to boundary line) it will not be an exact match with any of the regular 2014 AFL venues. Greater Western Sydney’s playing home at Spotless Stadium (164x127.5) is the closest in size to the new Adelaide Oval, which is two metres longer than AAMI Stadium and nine metres wider.
Of all ruckmen, only West Coast champion Dean Cox (23) had more possessions than Adelaide big man Sam Jacobs (19).
Adelaide’s average age last weekend was 24.7 years. This was the seventh youngest in Round One.
Brad Crouch was Adelaide’s leading possession-getter last time these two teams met. Crouch amassed 27 disposals, six marks and five tackles to earn two Brownlow Medal votes. He also finished second in the Showdown Medal voting.
