PROLIFIC Adelaide midfielder Scott Thompson expects coach Brenton Sanderson to pump up the club's telling clash with his old side Geelong on Saturday afternoon.

Sanderson spent 16 years at the Cats as player and assistant coach before moving to West Lakes late last year.

Thompson said that if the coach's behavior in the lead up to the Showdown in round five was anything to go by, he wouldn't try to play down this weekend's match.

"He'd no doubt have a few nerves but at the same time be pretty excited facing his old side," Thompson said.

"We saw a fortnight back how he built up the Showdown as a big thing for Adelaide and to come away with that result was good, but this week is a new challenge and I'm sure we'll be up to it come Saturday."

Thompson also suggested having Sanderson and former Geelong defender Darren Milburn in their corner on Saturday could offer the Crows a tactical advantage.

"(Sanderson would) know the club inside out, he worked with them last year for the majority of the year so I'm sure he knows a few of their tricks," Thompson said.

"They've both got a lot of history there. Milburn played just shy of 300 games there, so they've both spent a large chunk of their life down at the Geelong footy club.
"Come the weekend we'll definitely use as much of that knowledge as we can and hopefully put four good quarters together."

Thompson said the club was buoyant after an outstanding five-point victory over the Swans in Sydney last Saturday night.

The clash marked the beginning of what promises to be a demanding month for the Crows as they take on Geelong, Carlton and Collingwood before the start of June.

But the 29-year-old said two consecutive come-from-behind wins after being down at the final change against both the Power and the Swans gave his side the belief it needed not only to survive the coming weeks, but to thrive.

"You need to do it to get the belief and now we've been able to do it for two weeks straight, and the more you do it the more belief you get," he said.

"There's no doubt Sydney were a huge challenge; they went into the game on Saturday night undefeated … it should give the boys enormous belief to take on any side."

Adelaide's younger players have taken a huge step forward in 2012 and in the win over the Swans it was again the likes of 22-year-old Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane (22) and Taylor Walker (21) who stood up under pressure.

Thompson said with the current mix of experience and youth, there was no telling how good the Crows could become in two to three years.

"I think I said last time I did a press conference I'd love to have a crystal ball in front of me as to what might happen. I'd still love that but I think we're capable of doing great things with the side that we've got at the moment," he said.

Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.