Round 19
Adelaide v Essendon
Sunday, August 5 at 4:10pm (SA time)
AAMI Stadium

Latest news
Dustin Fletcher (soreness) and Ricky Dyson (ankle) are late withdrawals from the Essendon team to play Adelaide on Sunday. The injured pair has been replaced by Tayte Pears and Henry Slattery. On Friday afternoon, the Bombers recalled Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker, Sam Lonergan, Travis Colyer and Dyson. Brent Stanton (soreness) and Angus Monfries (ankle) were left out through injury, while David Hille, Cory Dell'Olio and Elliott Kavanagh were dropped.

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Milestones
Jobe Watson (Essendon) - 150 games
Jason Winderlich (Essendon) - 100 games

Out of action (Estimates only)
Brent Stanton (hamstring) - test
Patrick Ryder (calf) - 1 week
Michael Hibberd (quad) - 1-2 weeks
Kyle Reimers (hamstring) - 1-2 weeks
David Zaharakis (quad) - 2-3 weeks
Mark McVeigh (hamstring) - TBC
Luke Davis (ankle) - TBC

Essendon’s recent form
Round 18, Hawthorn 27.18 (180) d Essendon 12.14 (86), MCG
Round 17, Geelong 20.14 (134) d Essendon 10.7 (67), Etihad Stadium
Round 16, Essendon 19.13 (127) d Port Adelaide 11.11 (77), AAMI Stadium
Round 15, St Kilda 21.7 (122) d Essendon 8.14 (62), Etihad Stadium
Round 14, Essendon 21.14 (14) d Western Bulldogs 8.8 (56), Etihad Stadium
Round 13, Sydney 12.8 (80) d Geelong 11.8 (74), SCG

Recent form against Adelaide
2011, Round 17, Essendon 12.12 (84) d Adelaide 10.13 (73), AAMI Stadium
2010, Round 14, Adelaide 19.10 (124) d Essendon 5.10 (40), AAMI Stadium
2009, Elimination Final, Adelaide 26.10 (166) d Essendon 10.10 (70), AAMI Stadium
2009, Round 11, Adelaide 21.4 (130) d Essendon 18.6 (114), Etihad Stadium
2008, Round 20, Adelaide 19.15 (129) d Essendon 10.13 (73), Etihad Stadium

Team
B: Cale Hooker, Dustin Fletcher, Mark Baguley
HB: Courtenay Dempsey, Jake Carlisle, Kyle Hardingham
C: Ben Howlett, Jason Winderlich, Dyson Heppell
HF: Alex Browne, Michael Hurley, Sam Lonergan
F: Jake Melksham, Scott Gumbleton, Leroy Jetta
Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Jobe Watson, Heath Hocking

INTERCHANGE: Nathan Lovett-Murray, Ricky Dyson, Alwyn Davey, Travis Colyer

EMERG: David Hille, Cory Dell'Olio, Elliott Kavanagh

INS: Michael Hurley, Ricky Dyson, Sam Lonergan, Travis Colyer, Cale Hooker

OUTS: Brent Stanton (soreness), Angus Monfries (ankle), Cory Dell'Olio (omitted), David Hille (omitted)

Stats that matter
After a blistering start to the season, an injury-hit Essendon has dropped three of its past four matches. This will be the Bombers’ second trip to AAMI Stadium this year. They beat Port Adelaide on home soil only two weeks ago.

After 18 rounds last year, the Crows were ranked 14^th on the premiership ladder compared to third this season.

Adelaide has won five of the last six games played between these two teams, but Essendon won the most recent clash at AAMI Stadium in round 17, 2011. On that day, Angus Monfries dominated collecting 35 possessions and 10 marks. Scott Thompson (37 touches) led the way for the Crows.

The Bombers are ranked No.2 in the competition for short kicks and uncontested marks.

The Crows are the most efficient team inside attacking 50m in 2012, scoring a goal with approximately every third (3.3) entry.

Jobe Watson is ranked fifth in the AFL for total disposals (498). Scott Thompson is fourth (522). Watson is the leading clearance player (124) in the game this season. Brent Stanton is the most efficient player in the League by foot, credited with 218 effective kicks this year.

Trent Hentschel and Tony Modra share the record for most Crows goals in a match against Essendon. Hentschel slotted eight at AAMI Stadium in round 10, 2006. Modra bagged eight a decade earlier in round 19, 1996. Kurt Tippett holds the record for current players. He kicked a career-high seven against the Bombers in round 11, 2009.

Veteran Dustin Fletcher has rebounded the ball from defensive 50m more times (86) than any other player this season.

News Bites
In the Mix: Essendon - AFL.com.au
It's hard to believe that only a month ago the Bombers had a mostly full and healthy list to pick from, but things have gone disastrously bad in the last four weeks. This time it's midfielder Brent Stanton who is in doubt with a hamstring complaint. Essendon will welcome back forward Michael Hurley for its important meeting with Adelaide on Sunday, and he could be joined by key defenders Tayte Pears and Cale Hooker. David Zaharakis, Paddy Ryder and Michael Hibberd are all still unavailable with their soft-tissue injuries. -Callum Twomey

Hurley hope for Bombers - AFL.com.au
COACH James Hird said Michael Hurley was likely to return for next week's crucial match against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. "Michael Hurley got through his running today and looks like he'll come back in. Stewart Crameri is obviously there as well," Hird said. "Tayte Pears is up for selection, Cale Hooker is up for selection and Sam Lonergan. There's some experience there to come back in but I'm not sure it's personnel-based. We have to work out how to play the game better." Hooker and Crameri were both late withdrawals from Friday night's loss, with Pears surprisingly overlooked to replace Hooker in defence.