THE CROWS are hopeful their two-hour training session in sweltering conditions at AAMI Stadium on Wednesday will give them an edge over St Kilda in Saturday night’s NAB Cup grand final.

While other parts of the country are experiencing devastating floods, South Australia is in the middle of a heatwave with 35 degree-plus temperatures forecast for the next seven days.

Adelaide players cooled down in the 37 degree-heat on Wednesday with ice vests and an industrial-sized fan.

Midfielder Brent Reilly said the club’s ability to acclimatise to the unusually warm March weather could be an advantage come Saturday night.

“It was quite hot out there today, but its something we’ve got to deal with because it’s going to be hot on Saturday and we’ve got to put up with it,” he said after training.

“Craigy [Neil Craig] has this theory about blood volume, in that, if your blood volume gets up you feel better the day after, so we’re going into Saturday with a lot of confidence.

“Maybe it [training in the heat] will be an advantage for us.”

The Crows have played in four pre-season grand finals, but have only claimed the silverware once - in 2003 when they beat Collingwood.

Reilly said Adelaide’s most recent NAB Cup grand final loss, to Geelong at AAMI Stadium in 2006, still served as a spur for the playing group.

“Two years ago I think we lost the NAB Cup to Geelong and that was pretty devastating,” he said.

“We don’t want that feeling again, so we’ll go out there and try to win the game.

“You win a grand final, you get your medal and get to hold some sort of cup up. It’s a thrill. Personally, I know we did it in 2003 and that was a great thrill, so we’ll go out there and give it a crack on Saturday night.”

The 24-year-old midfielder said a win over the Saints would also be the ideal preparation for round one.

“When you lose, after the game the change rooms are a bit dull and it would be fantastic to have a win in a grand final, so we can come back into the rooms and be happy with ourselves,” he said.

“That winning feeling will flow over to training over the next two weeks and the boys will be rapt and excited about winning a grand final.”