IN-FORM defender Rory Laird hopes Adelaide can build on back-to-back wins to beat the Sydney Swans this weekend and take a massive stride towards a finals berth.

The Crows raced home against Gold Coast at the weekend, booting eight final-term goals to win by 45 points following the club's three-point win over Port Adelaide. 

Laird continued his brilliant 2015 campaign against the Suns, collecting a career-high 32 possessions. 

Adelaide sits seventh on the ladder, just two points behind the Western Bulldogs and two ahead of North Melbourne.

The club will enter its round 20 and 21 games against Essendon and the Brisbane Lions as hot favourites, so victory over the Swans on Saturday would put it in the box seat to claim a place in the finals. 

Laird will play his 50th senior game against the Swans and believes the Crows are capable of issuing them a third successive loss.

"[We've] got a bit of momentum now, which is good but each week you've got to go out and play your best footy if you want to win in this competition," Laird said 

"Sydney in Sydney this week is a tough ask but we think we're up to it and I think we'll carry over some momentum.

"They're really strong inside the contest, they've got a lot of quality players that go through the midfield…we've got to be able to match that."

Laird has taken his game to new heights this year after finding himself on the very fringes of the Crows' best 22 in 2014.

The 21-year-old managed 16 games last season and was dropped late in the year.

But he's averaged almost 24 possessions a game in 2015, up from 16 last year, and is right in the mix for the club's best and fairest award.

Reaching his 50th senior game no doubt reflects his hard work – although it's a milestone that will be trumped by skipper Taylor Walker's 100th against the Swans.

Walker has excelled as captain of the Crows and Laird said his past fortnight in particular – in the toughest of circumstances following Phil Walsh's death – had been superb. 

"He's been unreal all year, I reckon, a really good figure over the group and whenever he speaks everyone listens," he said.

"If you're doing something wrong or right he'll tell you ... I'm pretty happy it's his 100th, I think it overshadows my 50 which is really nice, maybe more media attention on him and not me which would be good."