ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: Rory Laird of the Crows handballs during the 2018 AFL round 22 match between the Adelaide Crows and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Adelaide Oval on August 19, 2018 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Adelaide midfielder Rory Laird has won his second Malcolm Blight Medal following a stellar 2021 campaign.
The 27-year-old flourished in a more present position in the Crows' midfield this season, also earning a spot in the All-Australian squad to go with his best and fairest.
Laird edged out fellow onballers Ben Keays and Paul Seedsman to sit atop the votes at the end of the Crows' awards night, adding to his 2018 Malcolm Blight Medal honours.
A career-best season saw Laird lead a young Crows side from the coalface, amassing record numbers for contested possessions, tackles, clearances and inside 50s.
RORY LAIRD
MidfielderAdelaide
2021 SEASON AVG
32
Disposals6
Tackles6.8
Clearances
Laird also claimed the Members’ MVP Award and the Players’ Trademark Award on the night.
Keays' second-placed finish sees the former Lion land back-to-back top five standing in the Crows' best and fairest since arriving at the club ahead of last season from Brisbane.
Forming a tenacious midfield group alongside Laird, skipper Rory Sloane, Seedsman and young gun Harry Schoenberg, Keays and co. have shown plenty of promise for the future.
Seedsman, who also joined Laird and Keays in the All-Australian squad, capped off his best season at West Lakes with a third-placed finish for the medal.
Schoenberg took home the Mark Bickley Emerging Talent Award, while fellow young Crow Ned McHenry won the Brian Sando OAM Trophy for "professionalism and attention to detail".
Departing veteran Tom Lynch was awarded with the Phil Walsh Best Team Man Award.
2021 Malcolm Blight Medal Leaderboard