After a pre-season playing on Eddie Betts, Adelaide defender Rory Laird says he’s none the wiser about how to stop the mercurial forward.
Betts continued his hot streak against St Kilda on Saturday, bagging six goals – his biggest haul as a Crow and best return since Round 21, 2011. His best effort was eight goals against Essendon in Round 18 of 2011.
The sublimely-skilled 28-year-old has now kicked 20 goals in his last four games and a total of 26 for the season. He topped Adelaide’s goalkicking with 51 in his first year at the Club in 2014.
Laird said he was pleased to be playing with, and not against, Betts.
“He still does (surprise me) a little bit, just with where he kicks them from and how he kicks them,” Laird said.
“He’s done it to me a fair bit over the summer, so I’m sort of used to it!
“He’s a freak at the moment. I don’t know how you stop him.”
At Adelaide Oval on Saturday, Betts was too good for All-Australian defender Sean Dempster.
The crafty forward, who also spent some time in the midfield, finished with 17 possessions, six marks, five inside 50ms, five tackles, six goals and a goal assist in his team’s 46-point win. One of his marks was a screamer on the goal line in the first quarter.
Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs, who played alongside Betts at Carlton, said the 200-gamer was, in arguably, career-best form.
“I was just having a laugh with ‘Danger’ (Patrick Dangerfield) that if I sit at the top of our forward 50m, it’s probably the best seat in the house to watch the ‘Eddie Show’,” Jacobs said after the game.
“If you’re a defender, you definitely don’t want to be one-on-one against Eddie. You even saw it with Dempster today. Dempster is an elite defender, but Eddie is good in the air and on the ground. He’s a really hard match-up.
“Eddie’s going very well and I love playing with him, as all the boys do.”
Laird is also enjoying a brilliant start to the season.
The tough utility, who collected an equal-career best 29 touches last week, amassed another 26 disposals to go with a team-high 10 marks against the Saints.
Laird started at half-back, but was shifted into the midfield in the second quarter when he assumed the role on St Kilda ball magnet Jack Steven.
“I had a bit of a different role today. I went up into the midfield and in a few centre bounces,” Laird said.
“It was really good experience for me to see what they (our midfielders) do and how they communicate. I was happier to get the win though.”
The win was a fitting send off for veteran defender Brent Reilly, who announced his retirement during the week. Reilly was celebrated with a lap of honour before the game.
Laird said the popular 31-year-old had been a big influence during his short career.
“Radar has helped me with my kicking and my positioning. He’s a really good player, knows how to read the game well and is an amazing intercept mark,” Laird said.
“He’ll still be around the Club, which is really good for us defenders and me, personally.”
The win was soured by a potentially serious knee injury to in-form defender Matt Jaensch.
Jaensch had 18 possessions and six marks when his left knee buckled as he tried to change direction to chase an opponent in the third quarter. The creative backman will have scans, which are expected to confirm a ruptured ACL.
“Jaenschy is a vital cog coming out of the backline. He’s got an elite kick. Fingers crossed that it’s not the worst, but it didn’t look good when he went down,” Laird said.
“I’m shattered for him if that is what it (the injury) is because I’m good mates with him.
“Our backline will just have to step up.”
