Football Park is a very tough place to play football, particularly when you are from out of town and screaming Adelaide supporters are packed in like sardines.

The noise is deafening when an Adelaide side gets on a roll and there is deathly silence every time the opposition scores.

I'll never forget the first time I set foot on Football Park. It was my first game for Victoria and I hadn't previously played in front of South Australian supporters.

We started the game pretty well and I was lucky enough to kick three in the first quarter.

But the South Australians kept coming at us and the atmosphere in the closing stages was amazing - it was very intimidating for the Victorians.

We hung on to win the game by eight points which was terrific but to play at Football Park for the first time is an experience I will never forget.

It is something all Victorian clubs have experienced since the Crows entered the competition in 1991.

But now Victorian clubs, and in particular Essendon Football Club, has a venue which will create the same intimidating atmosphere for interstate sides which travel to Melbourne.

Colonial Stadium will give our supporters a great chance let the Crows know they are in enemy territory.

The ground becomes a real cauldron when it is full and I hope that is the case this Sunday.

The whole team would love to see Essendon supporters pack out the stadium this weekend and make it a lonely place for Adelaide footballers.

This should be a fantastic match on Sunday as Adelaide has improved dramatically in recent weeks.

They won three on end prior to getting beaten by the Kangaroos by less than a kick last weekend, so their form is excellent.

The Adelaide line-up boasts something like 16 premiership players so they undoubtedly have the talent and experience so pose problems for any opposisition.

It would be great to get over the line and make it ten straight wins to start the 2000 season.

The most important thing is that the whole side continues to adopt the right attitude and prepare for each match thoroughly.

It's all very well to the say a side looks good on paper - that is not where you win games of football.

Every player needs to be switched on and I'm sure that will be the case this week.

Melbourne gave us a real fright last week and we had a number of players who were down on their game.

I'm sure they will hit back this week because there are many good players in the reserves just waiting to pounce if one of us drops off.

Finally I would like to wish all the mothers out there a Happy Mothers Day for this Sunday.

I reckon the kids should take you out for a day at the footy and there will be no better place than Colonial Stadium.