Adelaide star Rory Laird was disappointed in his performance in Sunday’s 16-point loss to GWS.
While the midfielder wasn’t tagged, the Giants were able to nullify his influence as he was kept to just 18 disposals.
Given Laird has passed 24 touches in every game across the last two seasons, the small output was eye-catching and Laird explained how the Giants were able to stop both him and the Adelaide midfield group.
“I found it very difficult on the day,” Laird told SEN SA The Run Home.
“GWS didn’t put a hard tag on me, but they had an emphasis around stoppage (for us) not to get any connection, not only with me but we found it pretty hard throughout the whole midfield to connect.
“Credit to them, they beat us not only around the ground but especially at centre bounce, they got some really good looks at centre bounce out the front at crucial times of the game.
“They played it really well, and I struggled to get involved in the game.”
Another aspect of Sunday’s game which was tough going for Laird was the Sydney weather.
With temperatures reaching 33 degrees during the clash, Laird believes he struggled to cover the ground as the heat got the better of players on both sides.
“I sort of struggled to actually cover the ground on the weekend,” Laird said.
“Not making any excuses, but the conditions I found them really challenging personally.
“I think a lot of guys on both teams had a lot of cramping and that going on at the end of the game.
“I probably could of got on the move or to try and free someone up but I think they just had an awareness of what I was trying to do.
“It made it a little bit easy for them to be able to sit on me, there are some big bodies in there, I just had to get off them a bit more.”
GWS captain Toby Greene was one player who post-match said they were the hardest conditions he’d played in and Laird agreed with his opponent’s sentiment.
“I 100 per cent agree (with Greene),” Laird said.
“I personally really struggled to cover the ground I found it hard effort to effort.
“That sort of replicated my output and influence on the game and I didn’t really have any.
“I haven’t played in anything like that before in 203 games and I hope I don’t have to anytime soon.
“I think that was the difference, we get really dry heat here … but it’s not as bad as what we experienced up there.
“It (the humidity) just drained you a bit more and made it hard to regulate your body temperature.
“They probably coped with it better than us.”
The Crows will hope to bounce back when they host the Tigers at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.