Veteran Brent Reilly has encouraged his younger teammates to savour the experience of Saturday night’s NAB Cup Grand Final, predicting the clash with West Coast at AAMI Stadium will be played at the same intensity as a premiership season match.

Reilly has played in three pre-season grand finals in his time at Adelaide (2003, 2006 and 2008), including the Club’s only pre-season premiership in 2003.

The skilful utility had only one premiership season game to his name when he lined up alongside Adelaide champions Andrew McLeod, Mark Ricciuto, Simon Goodwin and Tyson Edwards, much-publicised offseason recruits Wayne Carey and Ronnie Burns, and current-day teammates Michael Doughty and Graham Johncock in the Crows’ ‘Wizard Cup’ Grand Final against Collingwood in ‘03’.

On Saturday night, the Crows will field seven players with less than 20 games of experience, including defender Sam Shaw and draftee Sam Kerridge, who are yet to make their regular-season AFL debuts.

Reilly said the match against West Coast would be invaluable experience for the Club’s younger players.

“It was a big thrill to go out there and play in a grand final in ‘03’ even if it was only the pre-season competition,” Reilly told afc.com.au.

“The NAB Cup Grand Finals I’ve played in have been more like a home-and-away season game.

“It might start off a little bit argy bargy, but after that it’ll just be like a normal regular season game.

“The younger boys should definitely be striving to get in the team this week, and the young guys that do play should get a big thrill out of it.”

After being collected by Magpies forward Chris Tarrant in the first half, Reilly’s memories of the ‘03’ Wizard Cup Grand Final are clouded, but he showed enough throughout the pre-season competition to be selected in Adelaide’s first four regular season games before fracturing his cheekbone.

Reilly said the clash with West Coast this weekend would be a good opportunity for players to stake their claim on a place in the team for the Crows’ season-opener against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on March 31.

“In my first seven or eight years in the AFL system, the NAB Cup was a really important way for me to prepare for the season proper,” he said.

“It’s a chance to get a bit of form up and get the body into tune again.

“The boys played well that night (in ‘03’) and younger players, who weren’t regulars, were able to force their way into the team for round one because of their performance over the pre-season.”

Now a veteran of 156 games, Reilly has been managed through the 2012 NAB Cup along with several other senior Crows players, only playing his first full game of the year against Collingwood last week.

“I played a little bit of the first round against Port Adelaide and Carlton, and then didn’t play in Alice Springs, but I had a solid game last week and I’m pretty happy with where I’m at,” he said.

“I reckon I need two full games and then I’m happy to go into round one.”

Adelaide has a disappointing recent record against West Coast, having won only three of the past 11 matches (premiership season and finals) between the two teams.

Reilly said Saturday night’s decider against the Eagles - a top-four team in 2011 - would be a good test for the developing Crows.

“I don’t look at it like West Coast has the wood on us,” Reilly said.

“It doesn’t matter who we play, we go out there to win and we’ll be looking to do the same this week.

“West Coast finished fourth last year … and they’re going to be even better this year, with a few more of their younger players coming through.

“It’s going to be a big game for us and one we’re looking forward to.”