The two teams have played 32 times, with the Bombers holding the overall advantage 17-15. Essendon has won two of its past three games against Adelaide, but the Crows claimed the five encounters previous to that.

The Crows have not played Essendon in Melbourne since 2009 when the sides clashed at Etihad Stadium. The past five meetings were at AAMI Stadium. The Crows have won both of their games at Etihad Stadium this season, beating St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.

The Bombers and Crows have both won six games this season, to sit in ninth and 10^th spot on the AFL ladder, respectively.

Tony Modra and Trent Hentschel share the record for most goals by a Crow against Essendon. Modra kicked eight against the Bombers at Princes Park in Round 19, 1996, while Hentschel achieved the same feat at AAMI Stadium in Round 10, 2006.

The Bombers are a high-possession team, ranked No.2 in the AFL for total disposals. They are willing to chip the ball around to maintain possession, ranked No.1 in short kicks and uncontested marks.

Michael Hibberd (105), Brent Stanton (98) and Cale Hooker (97) are the top three players in the AFL for short kicks. In contrast, the Crows have two players ranked top-15 in the League for long kicks – Brodie Smith (75) is ranked No.1 and Matthew Jaensch (54) is 15^th.

The Crows average 13 running bounces per game compared to Essendon’s 4.2.

Hooker leads the AFL in marks (107). Fellow backmen Hibberd and Mark Baguley (78) are also in the top 10. Essendon likes to get the ball to Hibberd, who’s No.1 in the League for effective kicks (145). He’s also fourth in uncontested possessions (224).

Essendon averages the lowest percentage of contested possessions in the competition.

Young midfielder Dyson Heppell leads Essendon in total disposals in 2014 (337) – ranked seventh in the AFL. In-form Crow Scott Thompson is 10^th (322).

In a quirk of the fixture, Adelaide and Essendon haven’t met since Round One of last season. The Crows have played a handful of teams, including last week’s opponent North Melbourne, three times in that period.

Crows forward Taylor Walker has kicked 10 goals in three games against Essendon.

Damaging Bombers onballer David Zaharakis, who will play his 100^th game on Saturday night, is second in the AFL for inside 50ms (63). Rory Sloane is third with 62.

Crows champion Tyson Edwards holds the Club record for possessions in a game against Essendon. Edwards amassed 41 touches, 10 tackles and nine clearances against the Bombers at Etihad Stadium in Round 11, 2009. The match was the reliable onballer’s 300^th AFL game.

Budding forward Joe Daniher has kicked more goals (15) than any other Bomber this season. Paul Chapman (12) and Brent Stanton (11) are also in double figures. The Crows have four players with 10 or more goals in 2014 – Josh Jenkins (22), Eddie Betts (21), James Podsiadly (15) and Patrick Dangerfield (12).