Adelaide and West Coast have met 40 times. The Eagles hold the overall advantage, 22-18.

The teams have split the past four games, two wins apiece. West Coast won the most recent match at Adelaide Oval in Round 19 last season by 31 points, but the Crows won the last game between the two sides in Perth, by 86 points in Round 23, 2013.

Saturday’s match will be an emotional occasion for both Adelaide and West Coast. Late-Crows Senior Coach Phil Walsh spent five years at the Eagles as innovations coach (2009-2013). Walsh returned to South Australia and the Port Adelaide Football Club as midfield manager ahead of the 2014 season, and was then appointed in the top job at the Crows in October last year.

New Crows Coaching Director John Worsfold had a storied career with the Eagles as a player and coach. ‘Woosha’ played 209 games over 11 seasons, with two premierships (1992, 1994) and a best and fairest (1988) among his accolades. As a coach, he was at the helm for 281 matches and led West Coast to the 2006 premiership. His coaching winning percentage was 53.3 per cent.

The Eagles are sitting second on the AFL ladder, with a record of 10 wins and three losses. West Coast has only lost one match at home this season, against the top-of-the table Fremantle in Round Two.

Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy booted 5.4 last time these two teams met. Captain Taylor Walker led the way for the Crows with four goals. Eagles wingman Andrew Gaff also did some damage, kicking three goals from 31 possessions.

As a result of the cancelled match between Adelaide and Geelong last weekend, two Crows will reach milestones on Saturday night. Ruckman Sam Jacobs will play his 100^th game for the Adelaide Football Club. Jacobs played 17 matches for Carlton before joining the Crows ahead of the 2011 season. Forward Tom Lynch is also set to reach a milestone, notching up his 50^th AFL game. Lynch, who was traded to Adelaide at the end of 2011, also played six game for St Kilda.

The ruck battle will play a big part in determining the final result. West Coast is the second ranked side for total hit-outs (682) and hit-outs to advantage (208). Eagles’ big man Nic Naitanui ranks third in the AFL in both categories, while Sam Jacobs is inside the top six in each statistic despite last week’s cancelled match. Adelaide’s team total for hit-outs is 496 (14^th) with 150 going to advantage (12^th).

Adelaide must quell the influence of Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis on Saturday evening. He ranks No.1 in the AFL for handballs (273) and tackles (98) and is fourth in the competition for total disposals (365). Priddis also ranks second for contested possessions (196), fourth for hard-ball gets (80) and clearances (97) and is equal-second for goal assists (16).

The duo of Priddis and Naitanui is the League’s second most common ruck-rover combination at stoppages (40), behind Fremantle’s combo of Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe. Sam Jacobs and Scott Thompson is Adelaide’s leading stoppage pair (33).

The Crows (188) and Eagles (187) have given away the least free kicks of all teams this year.

West Coast is equal-third for intercepts (860) with big-bodied swingman Jeremy McGovern ranked equal-second in the League for intercept possessions (103).

Adelaide has the biggest kick-to-handball ratio in the competition (1.52). West Coast prefer to use the ball more by hand (1.23) and are ranked 15^th in this statistic.

The 2006 Preliminary Final clash at Football Park was the only occasion where the Crows and Eagles have contested a match in front of over 50,000 fans. The top eight games in terms of attendance between the two sides have all been held in Adelaide.

Both clubs create plenty of opportunities for their forward lines. West Coast is No.2 for Inside 50ms (717) behind reigning premiers Hawthorn. Adelaide ranks seventh with 669 entries.

West Coast has great balance between defence and offence, ranking No.2 in the AFL in both points for (1376) and against (882). Adelaide has the sixth-best defence and is 10^th in points scored.

Disposal efficiency remains a focus for the Crows, who are currently ranked 17^th in the AFL (69.2 per cent). West Coast is second in the comp on 74.8 per cent.