ALL-AUSTRALIAN selectors are known to work on a one-year delay. This should correct last season's stunning oversight with Adelaide key defender Daniel Talia (who missed the All-Australian full back spot to Richmond's Alex Rance). 
And there should be much-deserved acknowledgment of impressive Crows defender Rory Laird, whose numbers - in a forum where Champion Data statistics are a major factor in All-Australian selection debate - continue to remain the epitome of consistency.
Away from the numbers, the All-Australian selectors should watch the vision of how Laird excels in reading the play and his intercept marks, particularly against rivals who stand taller than his 178cm frame.
It is more than likely that Adelaide will have more defenders - in particular Talia and Laird - than forwards stay on the final whiteboard at AFL House when the All-Australian selectors name their team of the year in early   September.
This contradicts the script from the start of the season when Adelaide's raw defence seemed the Crows weak spot - and the numbers that have delivered the highest-scoring Crows attack in club history.
But it also emphasises how so much responsibility has landed on Talia and Laird's shoulders - and how much of the workload for turning over the scoreboard has been spread between captain Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, Tom Lynch and Eddie Betts.
Betts was the only Adelaide forward to be honoured with All-Australian selection last season - and almost certain to repeat as he stands at No. 5 on the goalkicking list (41 goals in 15 games) and No. 1 for small/opportunist forwards.
The All-Australian key forward roles are more likely to fall to Lance Franklin (Sydney, 53 goals so far) and Josh Kennedy (West Coast, also 53) than Jenkins (No. 4 with 43 goals). Gold Coast forward Tom Lynch (48 goals) also will draw the selectors attention.
So Adelaide's All-Australian prospects are: Talia and Laird from defence; Rory Sloane from the midfield and Betts from the attack. This is a significant contrast to the pre-season script on the Crows.
Talia would have his second All-Australian selection, after the breakthrough honour in 2014. Laird, the runner-up to the Malcolm Blight club champion title last season, would follow-up last year's All-Australian nomination with the real thing.
Talia's numbers in recent weeks point to the 24-year-old defender progressing in his long-standing wish to be more than a classic stopper to influence the game. His disposal count has risen from a 10.59 average last season to a career-high 16.13 in 15 games this year. His critical rebound numbers from defence have almost doubled.
The "hard numbers" - such as contested possessions - and "team numbers" - such as one-percent contributions - also have doubled. The selectors cannot ignore such figures, not when the Champion Data reports highlight this growth in Talia's game.
While injury has restricted Laird to 11 of 15 games this season, his numbers are better than last year when he earned All-Australian nomination. He too cannot be ignored.
A year late, but ...michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au