Rory Laird (born 29 December 1993) is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Adelaide with pick 5 in the 2011 Rookie Draft.
Rory Laird | |||
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![]() Laird playing for Adelaide in June 2019 | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Rory Laird | ||
Date of birth | (1993-12-29) 29 December 1993 (age 28) | ||
Original team(s) |
Kenilworth (SAAFL) West Adelaide (SANFL) | ||
Draft | No. 5, 2011 rookie draft | ||
Debut |
Round 4, 2013, Adelaide vs. Western Bulldogs, at AAMI Stadium | ||
Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Adelaide | ||
Number | 29 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2013– | Adelaide | 202 (25) | |
Representative team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
2020 | All Stars | 1 (0) | |
International team honours | |||
2017 | Australia | 2 (0) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 23 2022. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
In his first season in the AFL, Laird did not play for Adelaide. He played 18 consecutive games for West Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), including three finals, but was dropped from the team that played in the SANFL Grand Final.[1]
The Crows elevated Laird to the senior list as a replacement for the injured Sam Shaw in April 2013, and he made his AFL debut against the Western Bulldogs in round 4 of the season.[2] He immediately became a regular in the side, missing only one further game in the season through injury, and averaging 18.5 disposals per game as a small defender.[3] Laird received the Round 20 nomination for the 2013 AFL Rising Star award, following a 24-possession game against North Melbourne, and signed a two-year contract with the club in the same week.[4] Laird played 16 games in 2014 despite injury issues, playing in defence and occasionally in the midfield. He was dropped to the SANFL late in the season but responded with a 42-possession game to earn a recall.[3]
Laird had a breakout year in 2015, playing every game and averaging 24.4 disposals in defence while blanketing his opponents, which earned him a place on the 40-man shortlist for the All-Australian team.[3] During the year, he signed a three-year contract extension with the club.[5] In 2016, he was named in the 40-man All-Australian squad but did not make the team. He improved even more on his form in 2017, starting the season with a 40-possession game against Greater Western Sydney.[6] His form continued to stay at an elite level throughout the season, including a 34-possession game against St Kilda in Round 12.[7] His consistency was reward with both All-Australian selection and being nominated by his team for the AFL Players' Association MVP Award.[8]
In 2018, Laird won the Malcolm Blight Medal as the Crows' Best and Fairest player.[9] He was also selected in the All-Australian team for the second season in a row.[10]
In March 2021, Laird signed a five year contract extension with the Crows.[11]
Laird grew up in the suburb of Eden Hills, South Australia.[12] He attended Scotch College, Adelaide,[13][14][15][16][17] where he was coached by Brownlow Medalist Gavin Wanganeen.[14] Rory has no relation to Central District coach Roy Laird.[18]
G |
Goals | K |
Kicks | D |
Disposals | T |
Tackles |
B |
Behinds | H |
Handballs | M |
Marks | ||
† |
Led the league for the season |
Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
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G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
2013 | Adelaide | 46 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 180 | 153 | 333 | 74 | 51 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 18.5 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0 |
2014 | Adelaide | 29 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 126 | 129 | 255 | 65 | 37 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 15.9 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 0 |
2015 | Adelaide | 29 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 289 | 273 | 562 | 133 | 58 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 24.4 | 5.8 | 2.5 | 2 |
2016 | Adelaide | 29 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 251 | 270 | 521 | 127 | 40 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 13.2 | 14.2 | 27.4 | 6.7 | 2.1 | 11 |
2017 | Adelaide | 29 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 367 | 369 | 736 | 143 | 55 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 29.4 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 9 |
2018 | Adelaide | 29 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 319 | 325 | 644 | 124 | 43 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 16.0 | 16.3 | 32.2 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 19 |
2019 | Adelaide | 29 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 322 | 301 | 623 | 125 | 47 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 28.3 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 2 |
2020[lower-alpha 1] | Adelaide | 29 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 186 | 203 | 389 | 46 | 70 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 22.9 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 4 |
2021 | Adelaide | 29 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 314 | 390 | 704 | 82 | 130 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 14.3 | 17.8 | 32.0 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 16 |
2022 | Adelaide | 29 | 20 | 7 | 8 | 284 | 375 | 659 | 53 | 162 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 14.2 | 18.8† | 33.0† | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10 |
Career | 202 | 25 | 32 | 2638 | 2788 | 5426 | 972 | 693 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 13.0 | 13.8 | 26.8 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 73 |
Notes
Adelaide Football Club – current squad | |
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* denotes rookie listed players |
Malcolm Blight Medal · Adelaide Football Club best and fairest winners | |
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2017 All-Australian team | |
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Full-back |
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Half-back |
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Centre |
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Half-forward |
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Full-forward |
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Ruck |
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Interchange |
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Coach |
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← 2016 The position of coach in the All-Australian team has been awarded to the coach of the premiership-winning team since 1999. 2018 → |
2018 All-Australian team | |
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Full-back |
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Half-back |
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Centre |
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Half-forward |
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Full-forward |
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Ruck |
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Interchange |
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Coach |
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← 2017 The position of coach in the All-Australian team has been awarded to the coach of the premiership-winning team since 1999. 2019 → |
Australian squad – 2017 International Rules Series | ||
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Coach: Scott |
All Stars – State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match | |
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All Stars 15.18 (108) def. by Victoria 24.10 (154), at Marvel Stadium | |
Western Australia | |
South Australia | |
New South Wales | |
Tasmania | |
Queensland | |
Ireland |
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2013 AFL Rising Star nominees | |
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Italics denote winner |
2012 AFL rookie draft | |
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First round |
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Second round |
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Third round |
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Fourth round |
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Fifth round |
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Sixth round |
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Seventh round |
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Eighth round |
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