AFL Player #15: Jayden Laverde - Married in February & November - 4/11

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 7, Nuggs Bunny

 

[Ambrosia]

If Laverde is out, then Zerk-Thatcher will probably retain his spot. Ridley is better on medium-smalls rather than genuine talls. I was simply pointing out that Chol probably swaps with CCJ between forward and ruck

Plus Truck seems all about building continuity in the backline so I doubt he’s going to change Ridley’s role this week to drop Zerk.

 

[eth-dog]

Kosi got him on the lead a few times but feel that he should have gotten the O'Brien match up and Stewart the Kosi match up

 

[Lore]

Interviewed by Twomey.

Quotey bits:

"I went back for a half against the Doggies and he (Rutten) liked a few things that he saw there and we said it might be something to explore next year," Laverde told AFL.com.au this week.

"In my exit meeting we said we're going to give it a whole pre-season and try down back and see how we go. He saw some good qualities that he thought would be good for the side and he put some faith in me and kept me strong for that role."

"I've asked to play defence a few times throughout my career and see if I can impact down there too because I did play there a little bit growing up and for school, so I wasn't too surprised. But I still wasn't sure where my best footy was until I gave it a go," he said.

"During the pre-season I was still questioning whether I was a better forward or defender but, credit to 'Truck' (Rutten), he kept me sticking to it and stuck to his guns and I had a good pre-season and it was a good opportunity. I don't think I'll look back."

"I started to believe I could play on some good players and actually have an impact for my side in intercepting well," said Laverde, who leads the Bombers for intercept marks this season (27).

"It's just frustrating. The type of year it was everyone had their ups and downs. I had a really good pre-season, I didn't miss a session last pre-season, so I went into games feeling really good about myself and super fit but that's footy," he said.

"I started to find some form and was kicking some goals and got injured again and it puts questions in your head about what you could have done differently but realistically that's just footy. I'd been there before so you just have to put your head down and focus on what I can control and that's getting through my rehab."

"It does make a big difference. I've always been in and out of the side which is a little bit hard to think about pre-game knowing you have to perform to keep your spot and forward can be a difficult role at the best of times," Laverde said.

"Just knowing that I have to perform at a good level to keep my spot versus having a role in the team especially down back and knowing I can do my job and beat my forward will suffice to keep me in the side. It's a different role and a new mindset that helps and I don't have time to switch off in games which also helps me personally as a defender.

"This is still the first year of playing down back, I've only played 13 games there really, so I've got a lot of footy left in me and I think this is just the start of my growth towards being a good AFL defender."

"I definitely thought this is where we could be. We have an exciting young group and we're really committed to getting better every day and we don't look too far into the future," Laverde said.

How a seven-goal thumping proved the catalyst for Don's career-best form

Jayden Laverde's switch from forward to defender at the end of last season is paying dividends

www.afl.com.au

 

[Ambrosia]

Really happy for him to have found a role and have gotten a clean run at it but I’m not convinced that he wasn’t a forward.

This is the first year he’s had any continuity so I suspect we would have seen an uptick in performance in any position.

 

[Lore]

Really happy for him to have found a role and have gotten a clean run at it but I’m not convinced that he wasn’t a forward.

This is the first year he’s had any continuity so I suspect we would have seen an uptick in performance in any position.

Drafted with one eye on the midfield and played forward as most kids do in their first couple of years when they haven't got the craft or the tank and others have those spots in the midfield. With injuries he never really got a chance to do the full pre-season and make a case for a spot, and since he was drafted we've now acquired several others that have it well and truly sewn up.

Being a forward seemed to lead to even more injuries as the opponent would tackle him and he'd break a shoulder, an AC joint, an ankle... was about as durable as wet tissue paper for a while there.

At least as a defender the opponent is actively trying to get away from him.

 

[Ambrosia]

Needs to be more damaging ball in hand. Too often his only intention is to push back slowly off the mark and kick long down the line.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

Thought he got edged under the ball twice in the first quarter, learnt his lesson and then afterwards seemed to play from behind a bit more, which helped him dominate.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Crazy to think he used to get injured ball watching and skirting packs. Now he's crashing into campaigners and looking as durable as ever.

Not sure what has changed, but it has been career changing. Good on him.

 

[Santoz]

Our barometer.

 

[WindyHillWarrior]

Crazy to think he used to get injured ball watching and skirting packs. Now he's crashing into campaigners and looking as durable as ever.

Not sure what has changed, but it has been career changing. Good on him.

The Hurley Effect.

He beasted the marking contests tonite.

 

[the PILL]

I'm so happy for Mr Laverde, durable and confident.

To me his game is starting to look a lot like Dylan Grimes

2

Dylan Grimes

Age

33

Ht

194cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.6

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.3

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

4star

MG

136.0

2star

D

12.2

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

4.8

3star

M

4.7

4star

T

1.4

2star

MG

136.0

2star

D

9.4

3star

K

3.8

2star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

but without the staging and campaigner tones...

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Love how he clearly works on his craft. Was soundly beaten in the first few contests with Frampton. Then he absolutely nullified him. Strong Gohan vibes.

 

[NAB777]

Very impressed with his game last night, I thought he was in the best 2-3 on the ground.

 

[Blind Turn]

I'm so happy for Mr Laverde, durable and confident.

To me his game is starting to look a lot like Dylan Grimes but without the staging and campaigner tones...

If I were to pick a Richmond comparison it would be Vlaustin. Grimes makes up for his lack of talent with sheer will and focused role play. Laverde has the talent, a bit of toughness, and very good hands one-on-one like Vlaustin. I think Lav is a better kick than Vlaustin and has the added bonus of being a swingman option. Try playing either Grimes or Vlaustin forward… you wouldn’t get much joy out of that…

 

[eth-dog]

Going back a bit but plays like Darren Milburn

Darren Milburn

Age

47

Ht

189cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

9.1

5star

M

6.2

5star

T

2.3

4star

No current season stats available

D

15.0

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

7.6

5star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.2

4star

for Geelong.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Going back a bit but plays like Darren Milburn for Geelong.

 

[eth-dog]

Okay Jayden. You're the only one who's left, so could you please sign in the next week or two, yeah?

 

[cAsEy_18]

Okay Jayden. You're the only one who's left, so could you please sign in the next week or two, yeah?

There was a bit of noise a while back (might've been during a glance at Blitz) that he had actually already met a trigger for 2022 already, but that he and his manager were keen to kind of cancel/ignore/opt out of that (whatever you want to call it) and negotiate a longer deal.

Can't confirm that, but reckon I read that in a couple of places.

 

[BrunoV]

There was a bit of noise a while back (might've been during a glance at Blitz) that he had actually already met a trigger for 2022 already, but that he and his manager were keen to kind of cancel/ignore/opt out of that (whatever you want to call it) and negotiate a longer deal.

Can't confirm that, but reckon I read that in a couple of places.

The trigger can't have been for much, not "you're our top 2 most important defender" money.

 

[cAsEy_18]

The trigger can't have been for much, not "you're our top 2 most important defender" money.

Agreed, hence why he and his manager would be interested in signing a new deal rather than simply utilising that trigger - certainly wouldn't be for much I'd imagine.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

There was a bit of noise a while back (might've been during a glance at Blitz) that he had actually already met a trigger for 2022 already, but that he and his manager were keen to kind of cancel/ignore/opt out of that (whatever you want to call it) and negotiate a longer deal.

Can't confirm that, but reckon I read that in a couple of places.

I thought I heard Cal on some podcast (disclaimer - I was very bored) say Laverde had made the trigger and thus was already contracted for 2022. Could be wrong, but the way I interpreted it was his manager may want to negotiate an extension now to capitalise on Laverde's form, but that the club didn't have to if it didn't want to.

 

[andleanback]

Okay Jayden. You're the only one who's left, so could you please sign in the next week or two, yeah?

He met his contract trigger for next year weeks ago. Just means he's a FA at the end of next year along with langford.

 

[eth-dog]

He met his contract trigger for next year weeks ago. Just means he's a FA at the end of next year along with langford.

Then why hasn't there been anything from the club about it?

 

[andleanback]

Then why hasn't there been anything from the club about it?

Since when do clubs report on contract triggers? Usually the contract just roles over as they haven’t re-signed anything, as technically it’s a 2 year deal.

 

[eth-dog]

Since when do clubs report on contract triggers? Usually the contract just roles over as they haven’t re-signed anything, as technically it’s a 2 year deal.

You mean apart from the fact that the information we have said that he only had a one year deal, no mentions about a second year trigger? Also most clubs put it as a footnote on an "so and so has re-signed" article