AFL Player #15: Jayden Laverde

[Beerfish]

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

 

[frodos gardener]

5/10 won us more games in the last month than we’ll most likely lose without him in the one coming. Be careful what you wish for I guess

I feel like you agree with me insofar as we don’t have a better replacement.

 

[Lore]

I feel like you agree with me insofar as we don’t have a better replacement.

Insofar as that, yes. But role players are more important than superstars when you have none.

I don’t think Lav is really a key defender. He can do it but that doesn’t mean he should… I’d rather he played forward if and when he’s done being injured (can bring some defensive mindset with him).

 

[frodos gardener]

Insofar as that, yes. But role players are more important than superstars when you have none.

I don’t think Lav is really a key defender. He can do it but that doesn’t mean he should… I’d rather he played forward if and when he’s done being injured (can bring some defensive mindset with him).

Well that’s another conversation but I think normally he’s a 3/10 forward vs a 6 or 7/10 defender, depending on matchups.

I’m not ragging on the guy. He’s in our best team right now and can play his spot.

I don’t think he’s a premiership player, however, and I’d say that for about 6-8 of our best 23.

 

[MattyB3150]

Usually in the past he gets his injuries while playing Geelong…this time 5 days before playing them.

 

[andleanback]

Probably but we have none ready
The deficiency list mgmt has left will be glaring over the coming months.
If zerk goes down, we're boned

It’s not a deficiency, you can’t help if all your options are on the injury list. We recruited monte to add more depth who is meant to be ready made and also hayes who is a project. It didn’t help that Reid and Cox have both missed the start of the year, while Stewart another potential option has also been unsighted.

 

[Megabattimus]

Well that’s another conversation but I think normally he’s a 3/10 forward vs a 6 or 7/10 defender, depending on matchups.

I’m not ragging on the guy. He’s in our best team right now and can play his spot.

I don’t think he’s a premiership player, however, and I’d say that for about 6-8 of our best 23.

I mean, Geelong fans said the same thing about Zach Guthrie for multiple years before 2022. And he ended up being there over someone like Sam Menegola, who many of those same fans probably thought would play a role in their first flag since 2011.

That's not a knock on Zach Guthrie or Sam Menegola for that matter. It's just that these things don't always work out the way fans expect. Footy's fun like that.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Very important player ..when we get a taller one in Laverde would play on medium size and do a good job. Was a bit of leader down back as well so no doubt will be a big loss

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Laverde wasn’t keen on facing Geelong anyway.

 

[ant555]

Laverde got injured with 16 minutes left in the third quarter. I think that was around the 10 to 14 minute mark of the third quarter.
At that stage Johnson had had 7 possessions and 1.1 . Not so sure he was getting beaten.

 

[Lore]

Not 8-10, s**t reporting

5-6 weeks and he had surgery

Essendon will be without defender Jayden Laverde

15

Jayden Laverde

Age

28

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.8

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.8

4star

MG

152.8

2star

D

8.8

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.5

3star

MG

116.5

2star

D

11.2

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

3.6

5star

MG

141.2

3star

for a number of weeks after sustaining a shoulder injury.

The 26-year-old suffered an AC joint injury in the Dons’ Anzac Day clash with Collingwood on Tuesday and was subbed off as a result.

General Manager of Performance Daniel McPherson said Laverde underwent surgery on Thursday and is expected to return just prior to the mid-season bye.


“Jayden sustained an AC joint injury against Collingwood and was subsequently subbed out of the game,” McPherson said.

“He’s undergone surgery to repair the joint and we’re looking at a five-to-six-week timeframe for him to return to playing.”

Injury news: Laverde sidelined after shoulder surgery

The latest injury news ahead of round seven.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[andleanback]

Well that’s a good result should be back around the time we face Carlton.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Massive bummer

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Underrated on here. Will be sorely missed

 

[Lore]

 

[MiguelM]

Can they at least paint that sash red!

 

[Zach Package]

Can’t imagine today was a great day for the ‘we need to move on from Laverde’ crowd.

Hawkins is still kicking a bag today but at least you know Laverde is going to make him earn it, his voice is good and he’s hard as a cat’s head.

 

[eth-dog]

Can’t imagine today was a great day for the ‘we need to move on from Laverde’ crowd.

Hawkins is still kicking a bag today but at least you know Laverde is going to make him earn it, his voice is good and he’s hard as a cat’s head.

Bolded is the key. Is he currently the best option? Yes, absolutely. But the point is that he's not suited to the role still. If he's going to survive he needs to either become more damaging the other way or find the ability to play on small forwards like Kelly has.

 

[Zach Package]

Bolded is the key. Is he currently the best option? Yes, absolutely. But the point is that he's not suited to the role still. If he's going to survive he needs to either become more damaging the other way or find the ability to play on small forwards like Kelly has.

And I’d back him to do that if he was playing on someone like an Ollie Henry type or even following Cameron around wherever he decided to go. But you can’t be saying things like ‘we need to move on from him’ without proposing a viable alternative or knowing that the viable alternatives are still miles and miles away.

In this case, it’s both.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

I mean, if we're waiting for Reid or Cox to take Laverde's place then he's set for another two years at the club at least.

 

[BrunoV]

Can’t imagine today was a great day for the ‘we need to move on from Laverde’ crowd.

Hawkins is still kicking a bag today but at least you know Laverde is going to make him earn it, his voice is good and he’s hard as a cat’s head.

Didn't see the game, wasn't Zerk any good on a opponent?

I'm shocked.

I wonder how many 1v1s CD had him in, etc.

 

[eth-dog]

Didn't see the game, wasn't Zerk any good on a opponent?

I'm shocked.

I wonder how many 1v1s CD had him in, etc.

What a shock, you jump on straight away after he gets beaten by the second best key forward of the last decade.

Crickets otherwise

 

[jmoo wan]

What a shock, you jump on straight away after he gets beaten by the second best key forward of the last decade.

Crickets otherwise

Didn't see the game

 

[Zach Package]

Didn't see the game, wasn't Zerk any good on a opponent?

I'm shocked.

I wonder how many 1v1s CD had him in, etc.

Zerk was fine, not his best game, but fine. He certainly outplayed Ratugolea at the other end all things considered.

But even from a selection perspective we went in very, very short at the back but didn’t really have any kind of viable alternative option.

Laverde is the guy until he isn’t.

 

[Yoda_]

Didn't see the game, wasn't Zerk any good on a opponent?

I'm shocked.

I wonder how many 1v1s CD had him in, etc.

people will be quick to jump on Zerk but just noting Ridley had Hawkins for at least 2

 

[The Devils Advocate]

annnd sorely missed.