The two sides have met 15 times this decade and Essendon has come out on top 11 times, Richmond has got the points just three times while the other match was drawn. Essendon's average winning margin during that period has been a substantial 47 points.

Essendon has won five of the past six matches between the two sides.

Overall, Essendon and Richmond have played 166 times. Essendon has won 88 of those matches, Richmond has won 74 and on four occasions they have drawn games. Prior to this decade, Essendon held a slim six-game advantage overall but that has now grown to 14.

The venue for this Friday night's match is the MCG and the two sides have comparable records at the ground. Of the 33 matches played there, Essendon has won 15, Richmond has won 16 and one game has been drawn.

Essendon's most significant victory (in terms of margin) over Richmond came in round two of the 1960 season when the Bombers humbled the Tigers by 125 points.

Essendon kicked 25.20 (170) that day - a score which still stands as its highest against Richmond.

Richmond's biggest win over Essendon came 23 years later in 1983 when it scored a resounding 74-point win over Essendon in round 18 at Windy Hill.

However, its highest score against Essendon came a year earlier in 1982 when the Tigers slammed on 25.22 (172) in round three at the MCG to win by 62 points.

Richmond's poorest day against Essendon came just two years ago when the Tigers could manage just 4.10 (34), going under by 93 points.

Essendon's lowest score since 1925 was 5.6 (36) in round 15 of the 1965 season. It lost that match by 58 points.

Paul Salmon holds the goal-kicking record for Essendon in games against Richmond. Salmon kicked 11 goals in round 19 of the 1986 season at Waverley. That performance over-took the 10 goal haul of John Coleman in 1953.

Richmond best goal-kicking performance against Essendon came in 1944 when Dick Harris kicked 10 goals. Jack Titus (1928), Jack Dyer (1944) and Barry Richardson (1972) have all kicked nine goals against Essendon.