Second home or SA hoodoo? How visitors fare at Adelaide Oval

CARLTON will need to break its Adelaide Oval drought if it is to open Gather Round with a win, but West Coast and Melbourne will hold few fears over a trip to the ground.

The fixture for round five of next season – to be played entirely in South Australia from April 13-16 – was revealed on Friday.

It will feature nine matches across four days at three different venues as all 18 clubs descend on South Australia, with Adelaide Oval (6), Norwood Oval (2) and Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills (1) to host matches.

GATHER ROUND Fixture revealed, double-header delight

The Blues will open the round against the Crows at Adelaide Oval on the Thursday night, and the iconic venue has been unkind to Carlton.

Carlton (0-6 at the ground) is one of three teams winless there, alongside North Melbourne (0-10) and Gold Coast (0-9). However, the Kangaroos and Suns will play their fixtures against Brisbane and Fremantle respectively at the other two SA venues being used, robbing them of the chance to break their Adelaide Oval duck.

This year's surprise loss to the Crows in round 20 was the first of four straight to end 2022 for Carlton, a run that ultimately cost it a first finals appearance since 2013.

The closest the Blues have come to victory at Adelaide Oval is a 16-point loss to Port Adelaide in 2019, while the Roos (nine-point loss to the Crows in 2018) and Suns (an agonising two-point loss to the Power this year) have almost tasted glory at the ground.

The Eagles have the best record in the AFL at Adelaide Oval, winning nine of their 13 trips, a run dented by two losses there during a forgettable 2022.

Melbourne is 10-5 at the stadium, with Port Adelaide (67-42) and Adelaide (61-46) rounding out the top four on win percentage.

The venue may hold few fears for the rebuilding Eagles, but their Gather Round opponent – premier Geelong – likely will, while the Dees meet Essendon.

While the Crows open the round, the Power take on the Western Bulldogs (5-7 at Adelaide Oval) on the Saturday night.