Player Watch Rory Laird

[cmndstab]

The "doesn't look where he kicks it" criticism gets levelled at every engine-room midfielder. They're surrounded by players and have a fraction of a second to use it, so yeah, they're going to do some blind kicks sometimes. It's up to the rest of the team to structure up in a useful and predictable way so the likes of Laird have a good backup option when there's no time to spot someone up and they're forced to just hack it forward.

When he gets time and space he generally uses the ball very well. He's been great

 

[FR0GGY]

Im not sure there's many better in the game at getting the ball in and under and getting it out to a team mate, via a handball.

 

[Drummond]

Laird is an issue. Sure he's a good ball winner, but what does he actually do with his possessions? All he does it hack it forward every time he touches the ball, doesn't look for a better option, doesn't look to break away from packs, just launches it high into the air and hopes for a good outcome. Would hate to be a forward sitting under one of his forward entries. Doesn't ever show any poise, vision or look for options. Not good enough for our midfield 'star'.

 

[jackster83]

Is it true that one of his kicks bounced off that stray CCP rocket on the weekend?

 

[pjcrows]

I called for us to trade Laird or Smith last year for another top pick. Laird has been great this year, and Smith has stepped up his leadership big time.

 

[Godallblighty]

Ordinary players can be criticised for not being good, good players for not being great, great for not being elite. But good teams are made up of all these types. Everyone has flaws to their game. Successful coaches don't rely on having a team full of superheroes A lot of people on here just set impossible standards. Laird isn't our problem and trading him isn't the solution to what is.

 

[Golumless]

Eh, it would have been the right call from the club to cut Rory loose if we decided to sign Matt Crouch to a 4-5 year extension. Much like the opposite is true.

Really, I don't know if there is an obvious call between Laird and Crouch. I liked the idea of keeping Rory more just because we could shift him back to defence at the back end of his deal if we needed too, but then Crouch has already been an AA midfielder. Either of them would have been a fine choice of being the elder statesman.

 

[skittlebrew]

I called for us to trade Laird or Smith last year for another top pick. Laird has been great this year, and Smith has stepped up his leadership big time.

They've both done well to fill the midfield void this season.

 

[Sanders]

The issue was/is contract length.

has it been shortened in recent weeks?

 

[ABAB]

I would like Rory to apologise for kicking the ball into lunar orbit with every possession.

Otherwise I love DeskMan and its great to see his progression into a midfielder.

In the center bounce with the 6-6-6 rule his moon kicks isn't an issue provide our tall forward compete in the air and that's were he is most effective as an elite clearance midfielder.

 

[slice]

In the center bounce with the 6-6-6 rule his moon kicks isn't an issue provide our tall forward compete in the air and that's were he is most effective as an elite clearance midfielder.

You may be the worst footy analyst on the planet.

 

[ABAB]

You may be the worst footy analyst on the planet.

I think Sanders and you have me covered there if you don't know the primary goal of winning the centre clearance and with the 6-6-6 hack kicks toward your forward 50 has a less chance of a direct turnover to the opposition player for them to rebound quickly so you need elite clearance midfielders who know how to read the centre bounce and get 1st hand on the ball.

 

[FR0GGY]

You may be the worst footy analyst on the planet.

Clearly you haven’t asked him, his opinion on himself yet.

 

[Sanders]

You may be the worst footy analyst on the planet.

definitely a contender

 

[Sanders]

I think Sanders and you have me covered there if you don't know the primary goal of winning the centre clearance and with the 6-6-6 hack kicks toward your forward 50 has a less chance of a direct turnover to the opposition player for them to rebound quickly so you need elite clearance midfielders who know how to read the centre bounce and get 1st hand on the ball.

 

[slice]

hack kicks toward your forward 50 has a less chance of a direct turnover to the opposition player

 

[ABAB]

Clearly you haven’t asked him, his opinion on himself yet.

Just basic football knowledge which I thought everyone knew....clearly not.

 

[1990crow]

He's good now during our rebuild. Would like to see him eventually go back to the backline to finish his career once we have mids that are better than him.

 

[1970crow]

Apologise, not me. Mid June 2020, in the round 2 GBU thread.

I know he’s small, but why wouldn’t we get a decent look at Laird at stoppages? He’s quick over a few steps, moves laterally extremely well, is stupidly brave and generally a bit of a desperado. We pigeon hole players and there they stay and we wonder why they reach their peak after 3 years and then flatline or worse. How many of our backs do we run through the midfield? How many of our forwards get a run as part of the initial plan?

 

[TryAnHit]

Very hard to lace kicks when he is at the bottom of a 6 man pack.....
Thats the outside mid job

 

[Firewalker]

Very hard to lace kicks when he is at the bottom of a 6 man pack.....
Thats the outside mid job

Or when every Crows midfielder that doesn’t have the ball refuses to block and give space to any Crows midfielder that gets the ball

 

[BRL121]

Or when every Crows midfielder that doesn’t have the ball refuses to block and give space to any Crows midfielder that gets the ball

Yes. It was an eye opener at the start of the Showdown. After the first bounce, Wines got the ball and waltzed through a few waving hands, thumping the ball forward. After the second bounce, I think it was Laird who got the ball just as well, but was immediately wrapped up in the tackle. What a contrast.

 

[Concussion test]

I called for us to trade Laird or Smith last year for another top pick. Laird has been great this year, and Smith has stepped up his leadership big time.

Could you please add Fogg and McPherson to your trade list, we could really do with some uplift in their performance asap.

 

[glengowan]

He’s a gun. Most consistent performer for the last 5 years. Stepped up from back pocket, to rebounding back, to very good midfielder (unlike someone like Brown who remains a back pocket forever). Doesn’t fumble, unlike the rest of the team. His contract not a problem at all.

 

[Ramify]

It wasn't too long ago people here were calling to trade out Laird and take anything they could get. Line up one and all with your second and third round picks.
He came off one average season where teams had worked out that he was the driving force from half back for the Crows and tries to tag him out of the game.
Now BF posters are known for jumping on early to call players the next big thing, and jumping off early after one average game.
Laird has shown juat how good he is. Off half back, in the middle, he's a little freak.
Time to own up those who wanted to cut him loose.

Still have a love/hate thing with Laird.
Love the way he hunts the ball.
Hate the way he butchers it a lot of the time.