Rory is one of Tom's first friends in Coghill; they meet at the touch game on Australia Day. Rory plays five-eight—Daniel's old position, which means he has large shoes to fill. For a long time, Tom is somewhat derisive of Rory; he insists that Rory can't kick with both feet and has poor ball-handling skills. Despite this, Rory does his best to be a good friend to Tom by inviting him out to social events, warning him about Brianna, and not saying anything about the accident. Later, he's the first friend in Coghill who comes over to see Tom at Gran's house. By the end of the novel, Tom is willing to concede that Rory is a decent player and, more importantly, an excellent teammate and friend.