From where Rory Laird stands, Adelaide teammate Josh Rachele and his fellow forwards look very aligned.
Laird will play his 250th AFL match at Adelaide Oval on Sunday when the Crows host North Melbourne, who have never won at the venue.
Adelaide have made a red-hot start to the season, belting St Kilda and Essendon.
Rachele starred against the Bombers with four goals and it is a far cry from the end of last season, when he was dropped after their Showdown loss.
The goalsneak had taunted Port fans before the game and Laird was one teammate who spoke his mind publicly, saying on radio that Rachele had been "a little bit misaligned" with the team approach.
Rachele has earned plenty of plaudits since around West Lakes for he has dealt with the controversy.
Laird did not want to revisit the matter at his milestone media conference on Monday, but the defender noted the clear improvement up the other end of the ground.
"If anyone's watching Josh - not only Josh, our forward line in general - there's a really big group buy-in, in terms of getting the best shots at goal, celebrating with teammates," Laird said.
"Just Josh's unselfishness at the moment, in how he's playing and setting up his teammates, he's getting into really good positions on the field.
"It's not only Josh, it's actually coming as a really collective effort up there and it's really enjoyable to see.
"I'm playing back and I can see it unfolding, it's great for me to watch and as a team we're really celebrating that."
Laird is looking forward to a busy week ahead of his milestone game, with teammate Taylor Walker advising him to enjoy the moment.
The 31-year-old, a three-time club best-and-fairest winner and two-time All Australian, has returned to defence after a spell in the midfield.
He built his career the hard way, recruited in the 2011 rookie draft, and spent a season in the SANFL with West Adelaide before making his AFL debut.
"I was drafted at a time when it was more the bigger-bodied midfielders and backs - obviously I'm not a big-bodied midfielder," he said.
"It's more so once you get here, it's the work you put in and your consistency of willing to do the hard work - and do it over a long period."
Laird's career is a classic case of playing to his strengths - and not trying to emulate the exploits of flashier teammates.
He was asked about Izak Rankine's freakish goal on the run from the boundary during their drought-breaking win at the MCG against Essendon.
"I'd like to think I could do that - and then I realise I probably, definitely can't, especially with how quick and naturally gifted he is," Laird said.
"I've been very lucky - Charlie Cameron, Eddie Betts, Izak Rankine - throughout my career I've had all these amazing players, especially down the forward line, doing amazing things."
