"It's certainly different waiting around to Monday with games starting on Thursday, but it will be a good little challenge for us as a side to see how well we can prepare ourselves," he said. "I'm confident we are capable of doing that.
"The extra break means the same advantages that Collingwood have. It gives blokes who probably wouldn't be a chance to come up and play as well. We are genuinely excited to get out there and play. It doesn't matter if it is Monday, Saturday or Sunday, we are just keen to play.
"I am really looking forward to it after last year. We were so close but so far. We have a fair bit of work ahead of us.
"We really attacked the pre-season, which was enjoyable. We have a group of young blokes coming through who are very exciting, so that probably gives us older blokes some genuine spark."
McLeod described the Crows and the Magpies as being 'matched evenly across the board', and he added: "They still have a core of blokes who played in a couple of grand finals a few years ago so we know they are a good side. We will just prepare for their best side."
And of the high expectations on Adelaide this season, McLeod said: "Our expectation as a side is that we expect to go out there and put together a competitive performance. We are looking forward to the fact more often than not we will be the favourites to beat sides. We expect to win every game.
"Obviously goalkicking was something that came out of the NAB Cup that we need to work on. That's another challenge. That's the beauty of the NAB Cup … it shows the elements that you have to get better at, and goalkicking was just one of those we have to work on."
Was he expecting greater freedom this year from the umpires because of the new interpretation of the taggers' rule?
"It will be interesting to see how they (umpires) interpret it," McLeod said. "It's one of the things when they bring rules in … they are pretty hot on them early, and then they tend to let it slide.
"We will wait and see. It makes it harder for taggers to play on players. I am sure they will come up with new ways and means of stopping guys.
"You are excited, I suppose, that they are finally trying to crack down on tagging and give the ball players a fair go. It certainly takes away something.
"When you go to the football and see someone of the calibre of Chris Judd, Michael Voss or Mark Ricciuto get tagged, it robs the spectators of watching these champions play. Hopefully that will give these guys more relief from that situation."
Asked whether it was now as competitive as it had been for places in Adelaide's team, McLeod said: "We as a leadership group had an exercise trying to pick a side, and it got that hard that we had to put it aside.
"We told Craigy that's why he gets paid the big bucks. As a club, it's healthy for the side, and puts a premium on the blokes performing."
