Adelaide and West Coast have met 43 times. The Eagles hold the overall advantage, 23 – 20.
The Crows have won the past two clashes between the teams. Adelaide came from behind to upstage the Eagles at home in Round 12 this season. Eddie Betts kicked five goals and Adelaide kept West Coast scoreless in a quarter (the fourth) for the first time ever at Domain Stadium.
The Crows also claimed the most recent game at Adelaide Oval in Round 22 last year.
West Coast has tasted victory at Adelaide Oval this year, defeating Port Adelaide in a thriller in Round Nine.
Since the bye, the Crows and Eagles are the two form teams of the competition. Both sides have a record of seven wins and one loss since Round 15. West Coast has beaten top-four fancies Greater Western Sydney and Hawthorn in its past two matches.
Friday night’s match will be the Adelaide Football Club’s 600th AFL game.
The match will also be the first Friday night home and away fixture featuring two non-Victorian clubs since Round 20, 2005, when the Eagles played cross-town rivals Fremantle.
West Coast ranks third in points scored (2,081) this season. Adelaide has posted 2,412 points to be the highest-scoring team in the AFL in 2016.
The Eagles are dangerous around stoppages. They are the second-ranked team in scores from stoppages this season on 809 points.
Prolific midfielders Luke Shuey and Matt Priddis are keys in this area – ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the AFL for clearances.
Brownlow Medallist Priddis is the leading tackler in the AFL with 169. Suspended Crow Rory Sloane is equal-second (151), while Shuey is sixth with 135.
Priddis is also fifth for contested possessions (320), and third in hard ball-gets (144).
Wingman Andrew Gaff complements inside bulls Shuey and Priddis. Gaff is the leading uncontested possession player in the AFL (447). He also leads the League in handball receives (337) and is seventh for kicks (332).
Reigning Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy tops the goalkicking again heading into the final round of the home and away season. Kennedy has kicked 75 goals to be eight clear of Sydney Swans superstar Lance Franklin (67). Crow Eddie Betts is equal third with 65 goals.
Eagle Kennedy has also taken more marks inside attacking 50m (78) than any other player.
Another West Coast forward, Jamie Cripps, leads the League in goal assists with 24 – one more than Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker (23).
Hard-working Crow Tom Lynch is second in the AFL for score involvements (181). Swan Franklin is first with 186.
The Eagles are the most accurate team in front of goal, converting at 63.6 per cent this season. Adelaide is sixth overall (59.3%).
Crow Josh Jenkins has averaged 3.5 goals in his last four games against West Coast.
Jenkins and Betts have the opportunity to move into the top 10 of Adelaide’s all-time goalkicking on Friday night. Jenkins (180 goals) and Betts (179 Crows goals) are closing in on popular small forward Jason Porplyzia, who currently sits 10th with 181 goals.
West Coast defender Jeremy McGovern is the leading intercept marking player in the AFL (73). Brother of emerging Crow Mitch, Jeremy McGovern has also taken 45 contested marks – ranked equal-fifth in the League.
Eagles captain Shannon Hurn is equal-seventh for rebound 50ms (87)
The Crows and Eagles, who play a similar style of defence, are ranked equal-third in marks from opposition kicks (341) this season.
Adelaide is the No.1 ranked team in scores from turnovers (1,546 points) in Season 2016.
The biggest-ever crowd for a game between the Crows and Eagles was 52,460 at Adelaide Oval in Round 22 last season.
