Adelaide have changed their AFL travel routine and hope to keep a match-eve training session secret from looming opponents Essendon.
The Crows flew to Melbourne on Thursday morning and were set to train in the afternoon at an undisclosed location.
The move breaks with their traditional routine ahead of matches in Melbourne - training in Adelaide before flying in the afternoon to the Victorian capital.
"We decided we will train over in Melbourne this year, for the first game anyway - slightly different," Crows coach Don Pyke told reporters at Adelaide Airport.
"We had some discussions with the players and, given we play a lot of night games this year, they just felt travel over in the morning, get organised, have a run later this afternoon and get ready to play."
The Crows wouldn't disclose the afternoon training venue, which was set to be a closed session.
Pyke had also refused to confirm the make-up of his selected side, with the Crows later revealing the inclusion of five newcomers.
Ex-Carlton star Bryce Gibbs and North Melbourne recruit Sam Gibson have been named to play their first games in Crows' colours.
Adelaide have also named 18-year-old forward Darcy Fogarty, 19-year-old Lachlan Murphy and 21-year-old defender Tom Doedee to make their AFL debuts.
Pyke was more forthcoming on the challenge presented by an Essendon side, widely expected to reach the finals this season.
"The first game of the year, you always go in a little bit uncertain because you have only got the two (pre-season) games and maybe some scouting that you have done on them," he said.
"But most teams have a DNA and Essendon have probably had a DNA last year around (being) a high-scoring team. They really had the ability to challenge teams from an offensive viewpoint.
"And they have been on record as saying they want to improve their defensive stuff so we expect that is the case."
