Adelaide Crow Rory Laird’s record-breaking season

THE records keep tumbling for Crows defensive ball magnet Rory Laird — and they are enough to cause Port Adelaide sleepless nights before Showdown 44.

Adelaide ball magnet Rory Laird brushes Carlton’s Paddy Dow aside on his way to 32 disposals at Adelaide Oval last week. Picture: Sarah Reed.

• Cassisi’s key to winning Showdown
• Tredrea: Power’s moment of reckoning
• Greenwood takes inspiration from Ingles
• Rivalry that still stirs after 21 years
• Grand final day mistake driving Smith

THE records keep tumbling for Crows defensive ball magnet Rory Laird — and they are enough to cause Port Adelaide sleepless nights before Showdown 44.

After becoming in round two the only defender — and just 13th player — in VFL-AFL history to have consecutive 40-plus disposal games, Laird has again rewritten the record books.

He has, remarkably for a backman, become the first player to record 30-plus disposals in each of the first seven rounds of a VFL-AFL season.

Laird’s 32 disposals against Carlton at Adelaide Oval on Saturday followed his 40 against Essendon in round one, 42 against Richmond, 32 against St Kilda, 37 against Collingwood, 30 against Sydney and 34 against Gold Coast.

“He’s been unreal,’’ said teammate Sam Jacobs.

“He’s played at a high level for a number of years now but he’s taken his game to an even higher level this season.

“His ability to anticipate what is going to happen before the play unfolds is a real strength of his and has enabled him to win so much of the ball and set up so much play for us.’’

Number Crunch: The Magnificent Seven

Former rookie list player Laird — a first-time All-Australian last year — has proved to be an unstoppable force this season.

Apart from producing a strong defensive effort for a side that statistically has the fifth-best defence, conceding 78.4 points a game, he ranks second in the competition in disposals with 247 at an average of 35.3.

Only prolific Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell has won more of the ball, with the Brownlow Medal fancy having six more disposals at an average of 36.1.

Laird, 24, ranks No. 1 in the league as a defender for disposals, ranking points (117), contested possessions (11.4) and uncontested possessions (23.9).

He sits second for intercept possessions (10.3) behind only Richmond’s All-Australian captain Alex Rance and ranks 11th for metres gained (439).

Illustrating that Laird doesn’t neglect his defensive duties is that he has won 72.7 per cent of his defensive one-on-one contests.

His freakish numbers should see Port, which has lost the past five Showdowns by an average of 35 points, put a big target on his back at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

“He’s in terrific form so it’s important we limit his impact,’’ said Power midfielder Tom Rockliff.

“While we’ve got to keep an eye on him a key to the game for us is to make sure that we deliver the ball well inside 50, so that we are not having those rebound 50s from him and the Crows.’’

Rory Laird marks in front of Dustin Martin and Tom Doedee. Picture: Sarah Reed

Remarkably, given his enormous influence, Laird rarely cops a tag.

“If it comes, I’ll be ready for it,’’ Laird said when asked how he would cope with having a player forgo his attacking duties to sit on him.

“It’s been discussed a little bit (among the Crows defenders), that maybe I will start getting someone come close to me.

“It happened a little bit in the Richmond game (Reece Conca) but I won’t change too much.

“I still have to defend my man and make sure I beat him and then once the ball gets back to our team I’ll work to try to get involved in the offence, so not too much will change.’’

Overlooked at the 2011 national draft before being snapped up by Adelaide at No. 5 at that year’s rookie draft, the 177cm Laird has played 108 games since debuting against the Western Bulldogs in round four, 2013.

His stunning form sees him sit equal-sixth in the AFL Coaches Association voting with 30 — just eight behind joint leaders Mitchell and Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe.

Laird also is a Brownlow Medal smoky, although no defender has won football’s highest individual accolade since Essendon’s Gavin Wanganeen in 1993.

[e-mail]