Player Watch #15: Jayden Laverde

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2021
Last Game Played: Currently in the side
Injury Status: n/a

 

[TheFrenchCut]

you guys are on crack

If only.

 

[Maxabillions]

you guys are on crack

Join the party

 

[Maxabillions]

Absolutely. If he's ok enough to be on the field, there really is no reason why he can't reach the level of fitness required to play Stringer's centre bounce appearance to forwardline role.

The bloke has plenty of the tricks required and does the basics really well too. Look at this piss-taking here:

View attachment 1029114

But this is a better example - he takes the simple option in traffic most of the time, is good by either hand and absorbs contact in close as well as anyone else on our entire list which both reflects well on him and terribly on us.

However almost all of this doesn't matter because even if you did manage to convince anyone he should be used up the ground (even if just occasionally) then you'd need him to somehow break the curse that requires him to have a long layoff from a seemingly innocuous incident each season.

Ugh. Lav makes me feel like this every offseason:
View attachment 1029128

Really hope he can break the curse. I still have faith!

 

[BrunoV]

Bruno is partying like it is 16 December 2015!

 

[JayJ20]

Absolutely. If he's ok enough to be on the field, there really is no reason why he can't reach the level of fitness required to play Stringer's centre bounce appearance to forwardline role.

The bloke has plenty of the tricks required and does the basics really well too. Look at this piss-taking here:

View attachment 1029114

But this is a better example - he takes the simple option in traffic most of the time, is good by either hand and absorbs contact in close as well as anyone else on our entire list which both reflects well on him and terribly on us.

However almost all of this doesn't matter because even if you did manage to convince anyone he should be used up the ground (even if just occasionally) then you'd need him to somehow break the curse that requires him to have a long layoff from a seemingly innocuous incident each season.

Ugh. Lav makes me feel like this every offseason:
View attachment 1029128

This is exactly what I was talking about. Has the craft to be useful in the middle. Could have developed into a mid if he wasn't so injury prone.

Unfortunately, he's probably lucky to be on our list right now. Best we can hope for is a few centre bounces and actually staying injury free. I'm hoping Rutten sees his potential and includes him in our midfield rotation IF he has the fitness to make an impact.

 

[Duckworth]

Rohan doesn’t have anywhere near the physicality of Laverde when he’s actually fit, no way could Rohan play midfield.

His draft profile had him as a Goddard type with more speed. We haven’t really seen him get a run long enough of being fit to play, but I’d think he’d be a Fyfe-lite type of player if he ever got a good run at it.

The player I see him being most like is Winderlich.

 

[JayJ20]

The player I see him being most like is Winderlich.

Gumbleton and Myers also come to mind

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

you guys are on crack

Welcome to the Essendon fan club.

 

[Keystone agony]

his bits and pieces are actually pretty good. i recall during one of our last games of the year that lav attended a few centre bounces, and we not only won a few but didn't concede a clean clearance the other way. you'd have to specify what's meant by "that game". i'd say none of our midfield have a proper midfield game (i.e. an understanding of both the defensive, offensive and physical components) except mcgrath and shiel.

either way, the gary rohan

23

Gary Rohan

Age

29

Ht

189cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.6

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.5

4star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.8

2star

K

6.0

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.3

3star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

4.2

5star

G

1.2

4star

comparison is completely bizarre. his closest comparison would be mason wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

27

Ht

192cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.2

4star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

G

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.8

4star

.

Doesnt have midfield tendancies

His ability to accumulate, decision making, skill, composure and id even start questioning his tank it was good early on but im not sure with his current added size and lack of continuation in training it would have improved

watched him vs melbourne in the middle round 23 and he did a whole lot of nothing and didnt look likely

His best spot is as a goal square full forward for 80% deep forward pretty much all his best games and 20% high lead up forward (see final vs eagles)

 

[Nifft]

you guys are on crack

Speaking of which, we had a plumber visit our place this week.

 

[BrunoV]

Rohan is a pretty physical player these days, I think his problem is that he has even less of a feel for the game than Laverde does. He's currently relying on his ridiculous acceleration to be one of the best pressure forwards in the game.

I think the size, strength and power to be effective at clearances is being mistaken in the last page and a bit for what it takes to be a midfielder. It is much the same as it is with Stringer though Laverde would be able to back up to more contests (albeit probably only able to play with 2-3 players hanging of him while Stringer seems to be able to manage 4).

Laverde has played some quarters here and there in the middle in the lower league and he has looked okay but I can't say I've seen consistent midfield accumulation. A few games come to mind but he tends to find most of the ball roaming from half forward.

While more is on the line now because this is surely Laverde's last chance it seems like he is in a much better place than was at the end of 2019, possibly even 2018. There were a few significant improvements in his game in 2020 which make him an instantly more effective player and essentially best 22 as he is. He is cleanly catching the contested ball, one grab instead of two, and his goal kicking has also improved. That means he can now capitalise on the 3-5 dangerous opportunities he can get a game to either set up scores or kick goals. In 2019, in particular, he was probably wasting a minimum of 3 of those scoring opportunities.

It's still just scratching the surface, though. Having two fit and available key forwards should help as it will enable him to play as a half forward. Not being one of the main targets will make him a more effective pressure player as he wouldn't need to be concerned with holding position for structural reasons (despite having the ability to do it there are no key forwards who are good pressure players). It should also free him to join our midgets in the middle regularly. Who knows what can be built from there.

I have a pretty good feeling about 2021 which is more than the hope I felt going into 2019 and 2020.

I suspect pressing post on this will result in him walking under a ladder, bumping it into a mirror and killing a black cat in the process.

 

[JayJ20]

Doesnt have midfield tendancies

His ability to accumulate, decision making, skill, composure and id even start questioning his tank it was good early on but im not sure with his current added size and lack of continuation in training it would have improved

watched him vs melbourne in the middle round 23 and he did a whole lot of nothing and didnt look likely

His best spot is as a goal square full forward for 80% deep forward pretty much all his best games and 20% high lead up forward (see final vs eagles)

Decision making, skills and composure isn’t an issue for Laverde. In fact, his strength and ability to stand up in tackles gives him more time to fire off a handball and make better decisions.

Tank, accumulation and continuity is what stops him.

 

[Keystone agony]

Decision making, skills and composure isn’t an issue for Laverde. In fact, his strength and ability to stand up in tackles gives him more time to fire off a handball and make better decisions.

Tank, accumulation and continuity is what stops him.

So you think he makes it as an inside mid if gets out on the park?

Obviously including the fact that the coaches would need to give him that opportunity but i wouodnt see why they wouldnt if they agreed with you

 

[JayJ20]

So you think he makes it as an inside mid if gets out on the park?

Obviously including the fact that the coaches would need to give him that opportunity but i wouodnt see why they wouldnt if they agreed with you

I don't see him as an inside mid unless he drastically improves his fitness and midfield accumulation, but I do see him attend a few centre bounces and playing up the ground more with Stewart and Wright in the side.

Does he have the potential? Yes, but do I think it happens? No. I'm hoping Rutten will experiment with him though.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Doesnt have midfield tendancies

His ability to accumulate, decision making, skill, composure and id even start questioning his tank it was good early on but im not sure with his current added size and lack of continuation in training it would have improved

watched him vs melbourne in the middle round 23 and he did a whole lot of nothing and didnt look likely

His best spot is as a goal square full forward for 80% deep forward pretty much all his best games and 20% high lead up forward (see final vs eagles)

This. He’ll never be a midfielder. Forward or nothing

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Join the party

View attachment 1029143

For mine he’s a pretty even mix of De Goey and Dangerfield

 

[Maxabillions]

For mine he’s a pretty even mix of De Goey and Dangerfield

That’s the spirit

 

[fairbump_playon]

The careers of Laverde and Langford are so linked.

Similar names and

Imagine if they both become superstars in 2021.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

The ability to accumulate in the midfield isnt that important. Look at Richmond, more than half their midfield averaged 15 possessions or less.
Play Laverde in the guts as much as Lambert and Graham and he’d get similar numbers I have no doubt.

We have to start valuing roles rather than stats. If he can protect some of our boys it’s worth the experiment. Cause if we roll him out as a pseudo tall forward again it’ll just be wasting a spot for someone else.

 

[Keystone agony]

I don't see him as an inside mid unless he drastically improves his fitness and midfield accumulation, but I do see him attend a few centre bounces and playing up the ground more with Stewart and Wright in the side.

Does he have the potential? Yes, but do I think it happens? No. I'm hoping Rutten will experiment with him though.

Yeh probably a year to experiment aswell youd think

I still think hes best as a deep forward i think Laverde to be at his best needs Stringer out of the way (Similar to Degoey/Stephenson combo) they basically play the exact same deep forward role and are both that strong 192cm, 90kg+ explosive one on one player regards Stringer/Lav

He did kick 6 goals from pretty much 5 games. Im sure if he was to go at the same level (not improve or not gather consistency through no injuries) that results in 24 goals from 20 games in short time

People were jumping up and down about L.Ryans 26 goals from 18 games this year. I know he does far more

But i think if he stays on the park he can avg 1.2-1.3 goals a game no worries and allow a real fit Stringer up inside the centre square

 

[owen87]

The ability to accumulate in the midfield isnt that important. Look at Richmond, more than half their midfield averaged 15 possessions or less.
Play Laverde in the guts as much as Lambert and Graham and he’d get similar numbers I have no doubt.

We have to start valuing roles rather than stats. If he can protect some of our boys it’s worth the experiment. Cause if we roll him out as a pseudo tall forward again it’ll just be wasting a spot for someone else.

He was playing as a KPF through necessity mostly, similar to how we were playing Langford or Townsend at FF at times.

I’d hope with Wright in and Stewart seemingly returned to fitness that it immediately starts to straighten the forward-line up. That could mean we see Stringer and/or Laverde getting some time through the middle without robbing us of a marking target up front.

 

[Keystone agony]

This. He’ll never be a midfielder. Forward or nothing

I havnt seen anything to suggest otherwise to this but i hope im really really wrong

I also hope the above is figured out early and hes fixed to a spot he can really have a good crack at and not moved around too much otherwise hes destined to be delisted with no position certainty

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

This has never been said before but it’s boom or bust for Laverde. I have a feeling it might be his year (also never been said...).

 

[Duckworth]

He was playing as a KPF through necessity mostly, similar to how we were playing Langford or Townsend at FF at times.

I’d hope with Wright in and Stewart seemingly returned to fitness that it immediately starts to straighten the forward-line up. That could mean we see Stringer and/or Laverde getting some time through the middle without robbing us of a marking target up front.

This situation could also have Laverde squeezed out of the team entirely.

 

[owen87]

This situation could also have Laverde squeezed out of the team entirely.

Could well do; Wright - Stewart - Stringer - Tipungwuti would be pretty much locked in for R1. Add Snelling to that list.

Then you've got Laverde, Perkins, Smith, Zaharakis as the guys that might be playing on the flanks.