AFL Player #15: Jayden Laverde

[Beerfish]

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

 

[Schnitzengruben]

That was probably the worst game I've seen Lav play for us. Normally give it his all but I was actually very surprised to see some of the token efforts he gave and half arsed chases. Assuming it was an anomaly but yeh, not good.

 

[Kyptastic]

Goes against the current belief, but apparently we're a 36 point better side this year with Laverde on the field as opposed to when he's off the field.

Difference-makers: Can a +/- rating work in the AFL?

Can one AFL player make an impact on a team's performance? We've run the numbers to see which players are having the biggest positive (and negative) scoreboard impact on their team, and if an NBA-style +/- (or plus/minus) can work in footy.

www.espn.com.au

 

[dank420_]

Goes against the current belief, but apparently we're a 36 point better side this year with Laverde on the field as opposed to when he's off the field.

Difference-makers: Can a +/- rating work in the AFL?

Can one AFL player make an impact on a team's performance? We've run the numbers to see which players are having the biggest positive (and negative) scoreboard impact on their team, and if an NBA-style +/- (or plus/minus) can work in footy.

www.espn.com.au

I think most people would agree with this. One bad game doesn't make the man.

 

[VexOh]

Guy is heart and soul, but wouldn't get a game at any of the other top 12 teams.

 

[Petrify]

Past two weeks have been outrageously bad. Like worse than VFL level defending. Shows how good Ridley is at covering this guys weaknesses. Beginning to think BZT is the one we should hold when Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

comes in.

 

[andleanback]

Baldwin deserves his spot

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Said it at the time (and was chastised) but a 3 year deal for ultimately a journeyman is laughable.

 

[ghostdog]

Said it at the time (and was chastised) but a 3 year deal for ultimately a journeyman is laughable.

A journeyman who has been at the same club for 9 years?
A 3 year deal for a player who has already seen a couple of contracts is unusual?
I'd say they think he's solid enough at the level to have warranted the successive contracts, which means he isn't a 'journeyman' at all.

 

[ghostdog]

I wonder, with a key defender coming in, if Laverde could play the Setterfield role. He has defensive nous, a big body and can take marks through the middle. Maybe question marks on stamina but that can develop and he trains as hard as anyone.

 

[Vindicater]

I wonder, with a key defender coming in, if Laverde could play the Setterfield role. He has defensive nous, a big body and can take marks through the middle. Maybe question marks on stamina but that can develop and he trains as hard as anyone.

I would rather try him forward again. Make him play on the Stewart/Andrews/Sicily types.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I wonder, with a key defender coming in, if Laverde could play the Setterfield role. He has defensive nous, a big body and can take marks through the middle. Maybe question marks on stamina but that can develop and he trains as hard as anyone.

So Bruno hacked your profile huh

 

[fairbump_playon]

I think most people would agree with this. One bad game doesn't make the man.

Did everyone notice the other bombers on the top & bottom players on these lists?

Sam Draper - we are 23 points / 100 minutes better when he's on the ground

Heppell (20 points worse) and Stringer (19 points worse) in the bottom 20 players for points differential.

Hmmmm

 

[ghostdog]

I would rather try him forward again. Make him play on the Stewart/Andrews/Sicily types.

Yeah that was an option I preferred when Weideman was driving me nuts. Probably still is, but I'm not sure which of those two we need more. Maybe forward with Setters returning but I'd still like to see Laverde tried in that role.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

A journeyman who has been at the same club for 9 years?
A 3 year deal for a player who has already seen a couple of contracts is unusual?
I'd say they think he's solid enough at the level to have warranted the successive contracts, which means he isn't a 'journeyman' at all.

A 3 year deal for a player who was in and out of the team with injury problems and form issues, without a constant position and would be fringe 22 at most other clubs is a bad deal. Doubt anyone else was offering more than 1-2, if the offers came.

Dodoro probably felt some vindication after a decent season, 7 years in.

 

[Just A Tragic]

I'm a big Lav fan because of the 100% you can clearly see him give every contest. For a seemingly fragile HFF he re-made himself into a tough undersized KD. Gotta respect that. But I do think if we are to make the next step, he needs to bring this new body confidence into a new position. Does he have the tank & talent for a defensive mid or hff? I'd like to see it tried in the VFL but probably more of an pre-season project.

On SM-S918B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Petrify]

Needs to be dropped. So very clearly the worst key defender we have, which is amazing given BZT isn't doing well.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Hope he's better at Fortnite than he is at football.

 

[doug85]

That was probably the worst game I've seen Lav play for us. Normally give it his all but I was actually very surprised to see some of the token efforts he gave and half arsed chases. Assuming it was an anomaly but yeh, not good.

Applies to this week

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Went from list clogger, to reinvigorated best 22 defender, right back to list clogger.

Full circle for Lav. Thankfully for him he got his generous 3rd year in a golden handshake contract from Dodoro

 

[Flash10]

Went from list clogger, to reinvigorated best 22 defender, right back to list clogger.

Full circle for Lav. Thankfully for him he got his generous 3rd year in a golden handshake contract from Dodoro

When is he out of contract? Hopefully plays a full year of VFL next year.
He’s a defender who doesn’t know how to spoil.
Only knows how to grapple on to his opponent.
Lucky not to give away more free kicks than he already does.
Offers no rebound from D50 either.
Have I missed anything?

 

[ant555]

Went from list clogger, to reinvigorated best 22 defender, right back to list clogger.

Full circle for Lav. Thankfully for him he got his generous 3rd year in a golden handshake contract from Dodoro

Well the coach at the time had to agree and you did not rate him so it is hardly all on Dodoro. List manager does not sign players the coach does not want.
Think he is suffering from constantly drowning week in and week out from waves of opposition ball movement and being an undersized defender. The bloke was never a A grade defender yet we have asked him to take A grade forwards and then deal with a total lack of team defense for a lot of games. Was actually defending okay early in the season when we played a bit better footy. He is a product of us not having a genuine FB . Not being anything more than an reasonable player being forced to take on the same role as a Jacob Weitering . He is another who should eventually be out of the side but is not one of the major problems.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Another one who keeps making bad decisions.

Welcome to the Essendon Football Club where everything good about you goes to die.

 

[Vindicater]

Would love to see him forward again to see if he can be a Mihochek type competer.

 

[MiguelM]

Would love to see him forward again to see if he can be a Mihochek type competer.

Not sure he has the capacity. He started his career forward but was constantly injured and never reached great heights.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Well the coach at the time had to agree and you did not rate him so it is hardly all on Dodoro. List manager does not sign players the coach does not want.
Think he is suffering from constantly drowning week in and week out from waves of opposition ball movement and being an undersized defender. The bloke was never a A grade defender yet we have asked him to take A grade forwards and then deal with a total lack of team defense for a lot of games. Was actually defending okay early in the season when we played a bit better footy. He is a product of us not having a genuine FB . Not being anything more than an reasonable player being forced to take on the same role as a Jacob Weitering . He is another who should eventually be out of the side but is not one of the major problems.

I'm critical of the 3rd year. I'd be staggered if another team were offering a highly inconsistent, injury prone 25 year old a 3 year deal after one above average year in defence.

Laverde was a textbook Dodoro pick, and I can't help but think he would've been extra "receptive" to the idea of giving him a generous contract to validate his own long term conviction in Lav.