Former Carlton defender Jeremy Laidler has joined the Sydney Swans after the club selected him as a delisted free agent on Friday.

Laidler played 24 games in three seasons with the Blues after arriving from Geelong during the 2010 Trade Period.

The 24-year-old had a breakout first season at Carlton in 2011, playing 19 games, including two finals, and started the 2012 season strongly, featuring in the first four games before a dislocated knee cap ended his season.

Speaking to sydneyswans.com.au, Laidler said relocating to Sydney and immersing himself in the pre-season was what excited him most about the move.

“I flew up there yesterday (Thursday) and had a bit of a medical and a meeting, and all went pretty well,” Laidler said.

“They’re a club that have been on top, and are still looking to stay up at the top, so I can’t wait to meet all the boys and get into pre-season.

“I came up and (Swans defensive coach) John Blakey picked me up from the airport and showed me around.

“Just walking out from the race onto the ground is one of the great things that Sydney have got.”

Laidler said he has been impressed with the Swans as a club during his time in the game and also with the confidence and belief they had in him during the off-season.

“Looking from the outer at Sydney, the bond that they’ve got with each other and how well driven the club is, and how the leaders get every other player on board to drive success (is what has impressed me),” he said.

“They said they knew that I could play at the top level, it’s just I’ve got to get back to my good form.”

Sydney Swans Manager – Recruiting and List Strategy, Kinnear Beatson welcomed the addition of Laidler to the club’s playing list.

“Certainly he’s been brought in to bolster our defensive stocks,” Beatson said.

“He’s shown the ability to play both forward and back and being only 24 we think that his best football is ahead of him.

“What we do know about Jeremy from the various people that we contacted, everybody was really complimentary of him as a person.”