There aren’t many better ways to become a great defender than by training against one of the game’s all-time great small forwards.

For Crows defender Luke Brown, covering Eddie Betts at training over the past five years has done wonders for his own development.

“Playing on the best small forward in the comp and one of the greatest small forwards ever helps - it’s always tough at training and makes my job hard,” Brown said.

“Eddie can pull off those tricks and can take a good mark so he’s a great match-up to have.

“He gives us tips all the time on how to make it hard for him to play.

"I try to give him the same advice as to what I find hard [to defend] so hopefully I’m doing the same for him.”

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Adelaide takes on Greater Western Sydney this Saturday night at Adelaide Oval and Brown says he’s been busy preparing for “tricky” Giants forward Toby Greene.

“I think we’ve had some good battles in the past,” Brown said.

“Going back to the final in 2017, he [Greene] is a quality player and I always like those match-ups.

“He’s a tricky player, very crafty and good in both the air and the ground so he’s one of those match-ups that’s tough to judge.

“You have to be right on him at all times and not give him an inch - he’s a pretty physical player.”

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Saturday’s match will be Brown’s fifth game in 2019 after an ankle injury saw him miss the opening seven rounds.

“It’s been four weeks now [I’ve been back], and the game’s a lot harder than it was last year - a lot more contested style,” Brown said.

“A lot of forward lines are holding six forwards ahead of the ball now so it’s more contested, more one v one style.

“Ball movement has been a bit stagnant, some teams are trying to get numbers behind the ball and it just clogs up the defence.

“It’s not as free flowing as it was last year.”