Former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley says Adelaide star Rory Laird could go down as one of the great "running backs" in AFL history.

Laird was again prolific on Thursday night in the Crows’ 15-point win over Geelong, racking up 43 possessions at 86 per cent efficiency.

It’s the 12th time the one-time rookie has amassed over 30 touches in 2018, despite missing two games mid-season with a fractured hand.

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“Is he going to go down as one of the (great) all-time running backs ever? I think he will,” Frawley told SEN Breakfast.

“Was he BOG last night? Yes. The stats don’t lie. You can make a case for Tom Lynch, you can make a case for Rory Sloane, but he’s had 43 touches, 12 contested, he’s had 10 intercepts, 30 pressure points, seven score involvements from the back half.

“He’s the reason why Adelaide can get back into the finals. His ability to get his team going and create the overlap is some of the best running I’ve seen over the last two years.

“I think he is an absolute superstar, Rory Laird.”

Frawley said that Laird’s incredible ball-winning ability in defence should encourage other teams to use a player in a similar role.

“He is going to create a new position for guys that want to start in the midfield, but go back and see everything in front of them, and run and carry,” he said.

“He’s now the premier back pocket in the game, and I think he’ll go down as the guy that averages the most possessions as a half-back.”

Former St Kilda and North Melbourne champion Nick Dal Santo was baffled by the fact the Cats opted against a run-with role on Laird, despite his extraordinary numbers.

“You would have thought the Cats would have someone on him as a defensive small forward," he said.

"You know the way Rory Laird plays, you know he starts their ball chain off the half back flank.

“The ability to have over 40 touches - I’m surprised and shocked that teams don’t put a lot more work into him.

"I don‘t know why they don’t respect him, I don’t know why when they’re analysing they think, Rory Laird won’t hurt us this particular weekend, but when he walks away with 40 and you lose by 15 points, I just can’t get my head around why they don’t put more focus into him.

“Man him up, sacrifice one of your roles or just be ultra-accountable.”

SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson can be heard Monday-Friday 6-9am, and you can subscribe to the podcast here.