NORTH ADELAIDE premiership coach Josh Carr says it is always a special moment returning to Alberton Oval, a venue he spent more than a decade as a player and coach.
On Sunday, Alberton is enemy territory, but he still has a fondness for the place.
“It brings back amazing memories for me,” Carr told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“I moved over here as an 18-year-old and started my journey of football in South Australia.
“As an interstate kid moving over, you live and breathe the football club and I guess the tradition of the football club gets drummed into you straight away. It’s always special going out there.
“And I know the players - from a North Adelaide point of view - like getting out there as well.
“It’s a beautiful deck. The grass is always green, especially at the start of the year.
“It’s going to be good fun, special, and something I’m looking forward too.”
Carr will coach against former Rooster Boyd Woodcock for the first time in Sunday’s huge Round 3 clash, after the Power picked up the small forward in last year’s draft.
While the Power premiership player admits there is a lot of respect for his former player, once the siren sounds, he is just another opposition player.
“From my point of view, I will treat him just like any other opposition player,” he said.
“There is obviously a lot of care for him about following his progress as a player but when he walks onto that field - Boyd knows me pretty well - he’s wearing the opposition’s jumper and that’s the way we will treat him.
“There is a lot of respect there for the potential that he has and he’s starting to play some pretty good football as well.
“So, you know, watch out Boyd.”
Woodcock, who was a member of North’s 19-point victory in last year’s SANFL Grand Final, says he is looking forward to the challenge of coming up against his old side.
“It will be good to play against the old boys,” he said.
“There is a lot of experience out there and a lot of blokes that I’ve made really good relationships with.
“It will be awesome just to play against them but as Carry said, once you go out there, you’re wearing a different guernsey.
“You’re not mates on the field. You’re mates after and before but as soon as that ball bounces, it’s game on.”
Since his arrival at Port, the 19-year-old says his knowledge of the club’s traditions continues to grow.
“Every day your pride for the club grows,” he said.
“Port Adelaide has got such a rich history and to be able to play for the Magpies is awesome.
“Hopefully in the future I will get to play for Port Adelaide in the AFL.”
The Magpies host the Roosters at Alberton Oval on Sunday with the first bounce at 2.10pm.
