Rory Laird is set for a blast from the past when he returns for pre-season training in November.

Long before joining the Crows, a teenage Laird was a member of the Scotch College's First XVIII football team, which was coached by none other than Matthew Nicks.

When Nicks was announced as Don Pyke’s successor on Tuesday, Laird was quick to share an image of the two sat side-by-side in a team photo from 2010.

Speaking to AFC Media, Laird admitted he had been hoping for his former coach to take the reins at West Lakes.

“I was rapt (when I found out),” Laird said.

“I was rooting for him the whole time to be honest. 

“I think it’s really well deserved.”

When describing Nicks’ coaching style, Laird identified two key pillars: strong leadership and genuine relationships.

“We always got along really well, he’s really jovial and just like talking to one of the guys, which is great,” Laird said.

“He had a really good balance between being able to have a joke and some fun, but when it came down to footy he took it pretty serious.”

Nicks was also one of the first to try Laird off half-back, a positional shift that paid dividends for the South Australian product.

“I was doing different things with him, a bit of midfield, but he liked me down at half-back,” Laird said.

“Around that time I was at West Adelaide and my Under-18 coach there played me a bit down back too.

“Between those two, they were probably the first ones to play me down there.”

Laird had no doubt Nicks would have a positive impact on the playing group, stating he would be instrumental in helping them reconnect.

“He’s great with relationships and building connections with people,” Laird said.

“I think he’ll really help us get back to just enjoying each other’s company.”

It’s been eight years since their Scotch days and the pair have stayed in touch ever since.

“We’ve kept in contact over the years - the occasional call and text here and there,” Laird said.

“Sometimes it was about footy, but often it was just to have a chat and see how I was going.”