Round 12: Adelaide v St Kilda
Friday, June 15 at 8:10pm (SA time)
AAMI Stadium

LATEST: Sam Fisher and Ben McEvoy have been recalled to the St Kilda team to play Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.

Scroll down to read more Saints news as its updated throughout the week

Out of action (estimates only)
Rhys Stanley (hamstring) - 2-3 weeks
Jarryn Geary (facial fracture) - Test
Warrick Andreoli (shoulder) - TBS

Recent form
Round 11, St Kilda 21.18 (144) d Gold Coast 7.7 (49), Metricon Stadium
Round 10, Richmond 18.13 (121) d St Kilda 16.17 (113), Etihad Stadium
Round nine, St Kilda 16.15 (111) d Sydney Swans 12.11 (83), Etihad Stadium
Round eight, West Coast 18.13 (121) d St Kilda 13.13 (91), Patersons Stadium
Round six, Hawthorn 18.15 (123) d St Kilda 13.10 (88), MCG

Recent form against Adelaide
2011, Round 18, St Kilda 19.13 (127) d Adelaide 3.6 (24), Etihad Stadium
2011, Round six, Adelaide 13.12 (90) d St Kilda 9.17 (71), AAMI Stadium
2010, Round 22, Adelaide 9.11 (65) d St Kilda 5.7 (37), AAMI Stadium
2010, Round 10, St Kilda 19.9 (123) d Adelaide 12.4 (76), Etihad Stadium
2009, Round 16, St Kilda 15.15 (105) d Adelaide 7.6 (48), Etihad Stadium

Most recent team
B: Jason Gram, Jason Blake, James Gwilt
HB: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert
C: Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, David Armitage
HF: Jack Steven, Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard
F: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Ahmed Saad
Foll: Ben McEvoy, Leigh Montanga, Clinton Jones
INT: Raph Clarke, Arryn Sipposs, Adam Schneider, Terry Milera
Emerg: Jarryn Geary, Tom Simpkin, Jack Newnes

INS: Sam Fisher, Ben McEvoy
OUTS: Tom Simpkin, Jack Newnes

Stats that matter
Friday night’s clash with St Kilda will be midfielder Richard Douglas’ 100^th AFL game. Drafted with pick No.16 in the 2005 AFL National Draft, Douglas won the Crows Club Champion award in 2010.

On the back of a seven-goal haul against the Suns, skipper Nick Riewoldt leads St Kilda’s goalkicking (31). Riewoldt is third in the Coleman Medal race behind Hawthorn star Lance Franklin (38) and younger cousin Jack Riewoldt (32) of Richmond. However, the Saints forward has struggled against Adelaide recently, averaging only one goal in his past three matches.

Riewoldt also leads the League in score assists (23) and has taken more marks on the lead (32) than any other player this season. The Saints are ranked third overall in marks on the lead compared to the longer-kicking Crows, who are ranked 17^th.

This week’s fixture is Adelaide’s only Friday night game for the season. The Crows and Saints have met seven times previously on a Friday night, with St Kilda holding the overall advantage 4-3. Adelaide has won two of the past three games between these two teams, but the Saints won the most recent clash in round 18 last year.

Adelaide has won in five different states this season. The Crows defeated Gold Coast in Queensland in their season-opener, the Swans in New South Wales in round six, Carlton in Victoria in round eight and Fremantle in Western Australia prior to the bye. The Club has also won matches at home against the Western Bulldogs, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong and Port Adelaide. Adelaide doesn’t play in Tasmania, the ACT or Northern Territory in 2012.

The efficient Saints are ranked No.1 in the League for percentage of goals from forward 50m entries, kicking a goal with 28.9 per cent of their forays into attack. The Crows rank third in this statistic (27.9%). St Kilda has also taken more marks inside 50m than any other team in the competition.

Star Brendon Goddard is pivotal to St Kilda’s ability to hit-up targets, ranked third in the AFL for effective kicks. St Kilda is the third-highest kicking team in the competition. Adelaide is ranked 10^th.

News Bites
Six-day Saints not stressed - AFL.com.au
ST KILDA'S abundance of six-day breaks between games is no issue for the playing list according to veteran midfielder Lenny Hayes. The Saints travel to Adelaide this week to take on the in-form Crows, six days after defeating Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium. It will be the sixth time this season the club has had only six days between games but Hayes said there was no point worrying about what couldn't be controlled.

Fisher and McEvoy tipped to return - Herald Sun
ST KILDA is likely to be bolstered by the return of defender Sam Fisher and No.1 ruckman Ben McEvoy for Friday night's clash with Adelaide. Coach Scott Watters was also optimistic small forward Ahmed Saad would be cleared to face the Crows, but said no risks would be taken. Saad was taken off on a stretcher with concussion after a head clash with Gold Coast's Josh Caddy in the third quarter.

Saints yo-yo season - AFL.com.au
WHICHEVER way you look at it, the Saints' thumping of Gold Coast on Saturday continued a win-loss sequence that now stretches back to the round three victory over the Western Bulldogs.

The Crows host the Saints on the AFL’s biggest stage next Friday night at AAMI Stadium.  Click here  for tickets and match day information.