[1] The Crows elevated Laird to the senior list as a replacement for the injured Sam Shaw in April 2013, and he made his AFL debut against the Western Bulldogs in round 4 of the season.

[3] Laird received the Round 20 nomination for the 2013 AFL Rising Star award, following a 24-possession game against North Melbourne, and signed a two-year contract with the club in the same week.

[3] Laird had a breakout year in 2015, playing every game and averaging 24.4 disposals in defence while blanketing his opponents, which earned him a place on the 40-man shortlist for the All-Australian team.

[6] His form continued to stay at an elite level throughout the season, including a 34-possession game against St Kilda in Round 12.

[7] His consistency was reward with both All-Australian selection and being nominated by his team for the AFL Players' Association MVP Award.