The decider between Adelaide and Richmond will be only the second VFL/AFL Grand Final where no player has played in a Grand Final before. The other was the first-ever Grand Final in 1898.

The Crows and Tigers have never played in a final. Gold Coast, which is still chasing its first finals campaign, is the only other current club Adelaide is yet to face in a final.

Adelaide and Richmond have taken similar paths to the Grand Final. The first-placed Crows beat the fourth-ranked Greater Western Sydney by 36 points in the First Qualifying Final to secure a home Preliminary Final. The Tigers also won through to a Preliminary Final, beating Geelong by 51 points. The results in week three of finals were nearly mirror images, with Adelaide thumping the Cats by 61 points and the Tigers taking care of GWS by 36 points.

Don Pyke has the opportunity to become a premiership coach 25 years after winning his first premiership as a player – it would be the sixth-longest premiership period in VFL/AFL history.

A two-time AFL premiership player, Pyke was part of West Coast’s 1992 and 1994 flag-winning teams.

Pyke also won two WAFL premierships with Claremont in 1987 and 1996.

Of the Crows coaching panel, James Podsiadly (Geelong, 2011), Scott Camporeale (Carlton, 1995) and Ryan O’Keefe (Sydney, 2005 and 2012) have also played in AFL premierships. Development coach Paul Thomas is a six-time premiership winner with SANFL club Central District.

Crows Brad and Matt Crouch have an opportunity to become the 24th set of brothers in VFL/AFL history to play together in a premiership team. Should Adelaide win, the Crouch boys would become just the fifth pair of siblings in the AFL-era to do so.

Adelaide has played in two previous AFL Grand Finals (1997 and 1998) for two wins. The Club also won the inaugural AFL Women’s premiership earlier this year.

Only one Crow, Andrew McLeod, has ever won a Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final. McLeod received the honour in 1997 and 1998.

Midfielder Kane Johnson played in back-to-back premierships with Adelaide before returning to Victoria and captaining Richmond.

On Preliminary Final weekend, the Crows fielded more Victorians (14) in their 22 than the Tigers (13).

Adelaide and Richmond have met 35 times. The Crows hold the overall advantage, 23 – 12.

The teams played once in the home and away season at Adelaide Oval in Round Six. The Crows won that encounter by 76 points. Adelaide has won the past three meetings between the teams.

The Crows have played three games at the MCG this season for two wins and a draw.

The biggest crowd Adelaide has played in front of was 99,645 in the 1997 Grand Final against St Kilda.

On Saturday, Crows forward Tom Lynch will play his 100th game for the Club.

Premiership hero Darren Jarman holds the record for most Crows goals in a Grand Final. Jarman booted six against the Saints in Adelaide’s inaugural flag and backed up with five goals in the Club’s back-to-back premiership victory over North Melbourne in 1998.

McLeod is Adelaide’s leading possession winner in a Grand Final. McLeod amassed 31 disposals against St Kilda in 1997 and another 30 in the 1998 decider.

Adelaide and Richmond and two of the best defensive teams in the competition. The Tigers ranked third for fewest points conceded (1,684) and the Crows were fourth (1,776).

Five of the top 10 forward 50m tacklers will be in action at the MCG on Saturday.

The Crows (14.7) and Tigers (14.0) average more marks inside 50m than any other clubs.

Richmond concede the fewest goals (10.7) per game of any team.