Recruit Eddie Betts believes the redeveloped Adelaide Oval is on par with the MCG as the best football ground in the country.

Betts, who played 184 games at Carlton before joining the Crows at the end of last season, has been part of countless blockbuster matches in front of a packed MCG. After one game on his new home ground, Adelaide Oval, the lively forward is convinced the venue is a winner.

“Adelaide Oval is fantastic. Personally, I would say it’s one of the best ovals in Australia if not on par with the MCG,” Betts said.

“At Carlton, our home ground was the MCG but we couldn’t get onto the ground to train only on the day we played. At Adelaide Oval, we can train there and we’ve got our own lockers – and keys to our lockers, so it feels like our oval.

“I’m really looking forward to playing there again tomorrow and in the future.”

Betts’ first game at Adelaide Oval was also his first Showdown experience.

The two-time Blues best and fairest winner stood up under the immense heat, slotting four goals in a solo performance up forward. Despite the disappointing result, Betts said he’d embraced the Showdown atmosphere.

“Coming from Carlton … where you play blockbuster games against Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn and Richmond-types, there is always 80,000-plus people there, but my first Showdown was a different experience,” he said.

“Maybe (Adelaide) being a two-team town, it just feels massive and probably bigger than the Collingwood-Carlton build-up. I really enjoyed it the week.”

After two rounds, Betts leads Adelaide’s goalkicking with six.

The new-look Crows forward line is still learning to play together. Betts said he was confident the group would improve with every game.

“It’s been good, but hard at times. We’re still trying to work out ways to kick more goals down there and exploit the opposition defence,” he said.

“Once we play a few more games together, we’ll come good and once big Tex comes back too. He’s dying to get back and I’m sure he will be soon. We’ll be up and running by then.”