Michael Doughty

Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from AAMI Stadium, Adelaide, Australia

With a win, either Adelaide or Fremantle would be heading to the hallowed turf of the MCG to meet the high flying Hawks in a Preliminary Final. A loss would mean a disappointing end to the season where getting so close would be no consolation. With the end of each season come retirements and Crows’ veteran and their oldest listed player Michael Doughty, has already announced that this is his last season. He certainly played this game like a man who wasn’t ready to finish up. The other old hand back in the Adelaide defense, Ben Rutten, has earned his fair share of criticism for not being the player that he was in past seasons and he too looked like he had a point to prove while going head to head with the Dockers’ in form superstar Matthew Pavlich.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

300 games: Jude Bolton (SYD) will play his 300th game this weekend in the Preliminary Final, making him the third player in club history to reach 300 games, joining Adam Goodes (317 games since 1999) and Michael O’Loughlin (303 games, 1995-2009).

Most Club Finals: Adam Goodes and

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Chad Cornes (254 games) and Kane Cornes (244 games) are now the sixth pair of brothers in League history to reach 500 combined games. The leading families are: Madden (710 games, Simon 378 and Justin 332), Nankervis (578 games, Ian 325 and Bruce 253), Coventry (533 games, Syd 227 and Gordon 306), Richardson (518 games, Wayne 277 and Max 241), Wakelin (513 games, Darryl 252 and Shane 261), Cornes (500 games, Chad 355 and Kane 245), Rocca (499 games, Saverio 257 and Anthony 242), Matthews (487 games, Leigh 332 and Kelvin 155), Hocking (473 games, Stephen 199 and Garry 274), Collier (470 games, Harry 253 and Albert 217).

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Western Bulldogs defenders Lindsay Gilbee and Ryan Hargrave have both announced they will retire at the end of the season. Both joined the Dogs in 1999 and have played 206 and 203 games respectively through Round 21. Football Manager James Fantasia had nothing but praise for the duo, acknowledging their fine contributions to the club and said both were highly regarded and admired by their teammates. Gilbee (ankle) and Hargrave (foot) have both struggled with injury this year, managing just a handful of games each.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Dean Cox (WCE) played his 239th game in Round 13. This puts him fourth on the list for most games by a player who was originally rookie-listed.

Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from Adelaide, Australia

All of Adelaide is a buzz at the moment with the hometown Crows exceeding all expectations in their first year with Brenton Sanderson at the helm. St Kilda is also having a solid start to the year under their own first year mentor but the Scott Watters led Saints faced a big challenge on the big stage of Friday Night Football in Round 12. When the two sides met last in 2011, St Kilda recorded a phenomenal 103 point victory with Neil Craig going on to relinquish his position as Adelaide coach in the days that followed. A lot has changed in that short time with the Crows looking like a totally different outfit in the first half of season 2012.

Sydney's Dan Hannebery is the 2010 Rising Star. Just ahead of the first Finals series, Hannebery was presented with the Ron Evans Medal by 2009 winner Daniel Rich from Brisbane.

Trent Cotchin (RICH), charging North Melbourne's Sam Wright: assessed as reckless conduct (two points), high impact (three points), and high contact (two points), equaling seven activation points, a Level Four offense, 425 demerits, and a four game suspension. Cotchin and the Richmond Football Club took the case to the Tribunal in an attempt to have the high contact classification dismissed and downgraded.