The Crows and Saints have met 38 timesAdelaide holds the overall advantage 22-15. St Kilda is the only club the Crows have ever drawn with back in Round 14, 1994.

Adelaide has won six of its past seven matches against St Kilda, including the most recent game at Adelaide Oval in Round 23 last season when Ben Rutten slotted a goal with his final kick in AFL to seal a convincing 79-point win for the home team.

In-form Crow Eddie Betts, who has kicked 14 goals in his past three games, bagged five goals in his most recent outing against the Saints.

The Saints are 14th on the AFL ladder with a record of two wins and four losses. However, two of the vastly improved club’s losses this season have been by 10 points or less.

St Kilda came from 55 points down to overrun the red-hot Western Bulldogs last weekend. It was a club-record comeback for the resurgent Saints.

Saints ball magnet David Armitage is the leading possession-getter (201) in the League this season, and also ranks third in handball-receives (84).

Armitage is ranked second in the AFL Coaches Association award.

The biggest home-and-away crowd for a game between the Crows and Saints is 46,667 at Football Park in Round 15, 1993.

Saints defender-turned-forward Josh Bruce has been a revelation this season, kicking 18 goals in six matches to be fourth – level with Crows captain Taylor Walker – in the Coleman Medal race.

The emergence of Bruce has allowed skipper Nick Riewoldt to spend more time on a wing.

Scott Thompson holds the record for most possessions by a Crow in a game against the Saints. Thompson amassed 39 disposals and a goal in Round 12, 2012.

The Saints are ranked fifth in the AFL in contested possessions averaging 143 per game, just ahead of the sixth-placed Crows, who average 141.5 per match.

Crows great Brent Reilly, who announced his retirement during the week, started and finished his career against St Kilda.

The Saints only average 47.8 inside 50ms per game, but are ranked fifth in percentage of goals per forward 50m entry, recording a major with 25.8 per cent of their inside 50ms. The Crows are second for inside 50ms this season, averaging 59.5 per game.

Crow Matthew Jaensch is No.1 in the AFL for effective kicks (80) and second for marks (51).

Sam Jacobs and Billy Longer, who will go head-to-head in the ruck on Saturday, are ranked equal-second in the AFL for hit-outs with 213 apiece.

Young Saint Jack Steven is second in the competition for tackles (41).

Both Adelaide and St Kilda fielded inexperienced teams in Round Six. The Saints had an average age of 24 years and 308 days, while the Crows were slightly younger with an average age of 24 years and 141 days.

Adelaide will be without Rory Sloane for the first time since Round 19, 2013, this week. The durable midfielder has only missed two matches since Round Seven, 2011. Sloane received three Brownlow Medal votes last time these two teams met after gathering 30 touches and three goals.

Crows Wingman David Mackay has averaged 23 possessions and a goal in his last four games against St Kilda.