After four rounds of the Super 14, the defending champions have a host of players at the top of the tackle count statistics -- perhaps a perfect measure of their plight this season.
Not only have injuries been crippling their campaign, but a lack of possession has also counted heavily against them as they survey three consecutive losses heading into Saturday's match against the Western Force in Perth.
No 8 Thomas Waldrom, better known for his ball-running, is the competition's leading tackler with 60. In second is loose forward comrade Kieran Read on 58.
The tackling duties don't end there, with nearly every Crusader being called on to put their shoulder to the grindstone.
That includes the front row, where Ben Franks is second on the list of props with 34 tackles and Wyatt Crockett fifth on 27.
Franks won't be able to add to his tally against the fifth-placed Force after becoming the latest addition the Crusaders medical file.
The 2008 All Blacks tourist will undergo surgery on a foot stress fracture which is expected to sideline him for six weeks.
While Crockett had full faith in Franks' replacement, Bronson Murray, he could only shake his head at the luck that has struck the seven-time champions.
"It's one of those seasons where we're getting injury after injury," he told NZPA.
"It's a test of our depth and there's obviously a lot of guys who haven't played too much footy at this level.
"But guys like Bronson have showed in the Air NZ Cup that they're good players. Now they've had a bit of a chance to see what it's like at this level and I'm sure over the next few weeks you're really going to see some good footy."
Since their first-round defeat of the Chiefs, the eighth-placed Crusaders have struggled to win and hold on to possession for long periods during losses to the ACT Brumbies, Hurricanes and Highlanders.
Thus, Crockett wasn't surprised at the ballooning player tackle counts.
"It feels like we haven't got the ball a lot. We're not getting the ball-carries that we normally would. Hopefully that picks up as we start to play a bit more footy.
" Maybe in the last couple of weeks we've dwelled a little bit on what we haven't done well.
"We've had a really positive week and we just want to get out there and maybe take a few more calculated risks."
While coach Todd Blackadder has made three changes in the pack, including flanker George Whitelock filling the massive boots of injured skipper Richie McCaw, it is the backline where he will be doing well to get combinations gelling.
Every position has been changed from last week's 6-0 loss to the Highlanders, including three new faces introduced -- halfback Kahn Fotuali'i, second five-eighth Ryan Crotty and fullback Leon MacDonald, with the All Blacks custodian having overcome a shoulder injury.
Stephen Brett finally gets his chance in his favoured No 10 jersey -- having played at fullback as MacDonald recovered -- while Colin Slade shifts from first five-eighth to an unfamiliar role as left winger.
