> Watch Mick Malthouse address the media ahead of the round 19 clash

COLLINGWOOD has a great record when travelling interstate, winning six of its last eight matches on the road, a solid record they want to improve on this weekend when they travel to Adelaide to take on the Crows.

Coach Mick Malthouse said on Friday that he enjoyed football at the Crows' home ground.

"I rate AAMI Stadium – the actual ground surface and the ground size – as close to the best in Australia," he said.

"It is a true indication of your skill level at football – it's wide enough and long enough to do it, it's tight enough and short enough to be physically pressured.

"It's got a good surface, it's got the elements to contend with, wind and rain and whatever else comes along."

The Magpies are fourth with the Crows immediately behind them in fifth, just one game away, making this an 'eight-point' match in terms of the top-four.

Malthouse admitted it would be a huge challenge for his side.

"[It is a] massive test, and they are playing some very good football – it's round 19, everything's very much alive in the competition, so it's always a testing time," Malthouse said.

"We've always had some close encounters against Adelaide – their structure is very sound, Neil Craig is a bloke I admire as a coach, he gets the best out of his team, they're highly disciplined.

"Adelaide just don't give you any breathing space, so we're not going to have an easy game."

Malthouse said an easy game would be nice, but he knew that wasn't going to be the case against the side that beat them by under a goal in round one at the MCG.

"It's one of those games that we look forward to, because we know we're going into a very good contest."