Rory Laird

[GraysFan]

Basically every team I have seen has Laird in it (included mine)

My question is, can he cope with a tag?

Smith has copped the tag out of the defenders because of how damaging he was but the main rebounding defender surely has to be Laird now? Lever also going doesn't really help..

[ubeaut]

Don't think tagging is as prevalent as it once was. Surely Sloane and Gibbs get tagged first. How many good taggers do teams have?
In saying that tagging still happens and could become more popular again. I guess a lockdown forward defensive role is not out of the question on Laird. Any good player is a chance of getting tagged so it's how they deal with it.

Any Crows supporters got any insight into Laird dealing with a tag?

[Rusty00]

Very few teams actually apply hard tags these days, especially to defenders, because of the zoning strategies they use.

Might cop some attention in 1-2 games but don't see it as a big issue

[TomK]

Any Crows supporters got any insight into Laird dealing with a tag?

Personally can't ever remember a time where Laird has been hard tagged, and like the OP said, teams usually go for Smith first and even he was only tagged a couple times last season, so whether teams try and lock down on Laird now I'm not sure and I really have no idea if he could handle it or not, it's pure guesswork but I wouldn't expect it to be a major issue throughout the season.

[quinny88]

Richmond has the best defensive pressure forward line in the league and Laird still racked up a ton of ball in the GF.
He will get players run with him from time to time but that won't stop him too much. The hard tag will always go to Sloane or Gibbs if teams go with one

[SilverLion]

Won't be tagged. If he is tagged, won't affect him as he finds a way to always be involved (some ridiculous stat of something like 60 games in a row 20+ posies or something). Biggest lock of the year down back. Guaranteed top 5 barring injury.

[Levi434]

Lock. Everyone has him so you have to.

[tor01doc]

He's my backline benzo

Put him in your back pocket and forget about him - wish there were more like him