Jayden Laverde

[Grandson of a gun 276]

I couldn't find a thread on him and thought that if Petracca goes at 1, Laverde is the smokey that might go at 3.

Smokey in terms of not being one of the top 4 talked about already.

Here is the AFL draft profile...

Jayden Laverde

Don't know too much about him other than what i've seen and read in brief snippets. Anyone with some in depth info???

[jnrmac 18,953]

Because we have done so well picking smokey's in the draft...... Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook,

[Bombay Airconditioning 5,875]

Because we have done so well picking smokey's in the draft...... Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook,

Didnt we pinch a (credible) recruiting bloke from somewhere?

[dazzledavey36 48,721]

Didnt we pinch a (credible) recruiting bloke from somewhere?

I thought we also got a premiership winning flag coach from somewhere with huge development credentials.

Just can't put my finger where but.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Because we have done so well picking smokey's in the draft...... Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook,

Tapscott wasn't a smokey.

Many had thought he'd go higher than he did.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I really like the look of him, especially those bursts of speed where he attacks the ball. This goes well with his smooth movement and balance.

[P-man 13,168]

If we don't take McCartin at Pick 3 then this is our guy.

I'm leaning towards McCartin to partner Hogan up front for the next ten years, but if the recruiters see the midfield need as being the greater, I'd be more than happy with Laverde.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

His movement looks incredible, what did he score on agility tests? Looks good weaving through traffic and has good steps to avoid tackles, is tall, can take a mark, just looks classy.

I'd be over the moon if we took him along with Brayshaw

[Whispering_Jack 27,964]

Let's look at the draft profiles:-

Paige Cardona has him going at 5 to Collingwood

Jayden Laverde

Position: Midfielder/utility

Height: 190 cm, Weight: 82 kg, DOB: 12/04/1996

Club: Western Jets

Projected draft range 6-20

Plays like: Scott Pendlebury

One of the most exciting players of the draft with arguably the best highlights reel, Laverde is blessed with traits AFL clubs struggle to find across two or three players, let alone have them all in one. The epitome of an athletic and speedy midfielder who can play every position well, Laverde is a sublime mover. He glides through the wings with poise and speed, and loves to cut through congestion with long strides where he can burst out from a contested situation and run the ball. Laverde is another tall midfielder with a thumping yet accurate kick, and is one of the more damaging players available in this years draft. His agility and almost arrogant sidestep means he dances around opponents with ease. Laverde has shown a propensity to take the game on and is a natural goal kicker, whether from a set shot or on the run. His disposal efficiency ranks among the elite in the AFL, and hes been known to fly for a few hangers throughout his journey, coupling a distinct x-factor with an already impressive skill set. He loves the ball in his hands. He is often the instigator in attacking forays, and has the rare ability to swing momentum into his teams favour. His versatility is highly favoured, but he looks his best playing through the midfield or on a wing. That being said, he can just as easily be sent to rest forward or back. where he can use his strong marking game and elite endurance to cut games open.

Player update: A quad complaint leading into the National Draft combine meant that he wasnt able to partake in physical testing.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Because we have done so well picking smokey's in the draft...... Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook,

Short-sighted and ignorant comment.

Nice.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Because we have done so well picking smokey's in the draft...... Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook,

Wrong use of smokey on my part. He is considered too 10, even top 6 but there hasn't been that much public talk of him at 3. I only raise him given out obvious midfield needs, Roos comments and Lever's injury.

I don't have his combine stats to assist but he seems to provide a point of difference to the other mids we've brought in recently.

I'm not specifically advocating him over McCartin, just interested in thoughts.

[Whispering_Jack 27,964]

Knightmare has him at 13 in his rankings:-

Jayden Laverde (VIC – Util)

Height: 189cm, Weight: 82kg, DOB: 12/04/1996

Recruited from: Western Jets

Draft range: 5-20

Best position/role: Rotational forward/midfielder. Strengths: Evasiveness – Laverde has rare ability to create time and space for himself with his well-timed evasive sidesteps, body movements, ball fakes among other moves with ball in hand that give him more time and space than anyone else out on the field. He avoids tacklers easily by anticipating what they’ll do before they do it making him look that class above with ball in hand.

Athleticism - Laverde in addition to his evasiveness has excellent explosiveness and athleticism. Laverde uses his pace effectively in game and can break the lines and taking on the game with ball in hand and plays on when the opportunity is there and has some real breakaway pace and instant acceleration making him hard to catch. Laverde is a good leaper and is a strong mark in the air. He also has the strength and power to win the 1v1 contests and to win his own ball around the ground. Ball use - Laverde is an excellent user of the footy with his vision allowing him to find the most damaging targets up the field and his ability to execute by both hand and foot also is excellent. When within range from goal Laverde is also an excellent finisher both from general play and set shots and has shown that he can provide heavy scoreboard impact. He can at times make some poor decisions with ball in hand and choose the wrong targets but that has improved as the year has progressed. Versatility – Can play forward or back well and has the scope to develop the ability to play more through the midfield. Front half talent – Laverde in the front half has the ability to do major damage and has that natural intuitive front half talent so few have. He is a capable finisher from his set shots and in general play will run around defenders and run into goal for an easy finish. He keeps his feet in the contest, has a real natural balance to him and can take advantage of guys 1v1 for marks and is also capable in the air and on the lead. He has excellent evasiveness and is hard to lay a finger on. He can win the ground balls and contested footy. He also has the vision to find targets in better position inside 50.Marking ability – Laverde is a strong mark overhead. He will take marks 1v1, in the air and on the lead. On the lead he can create separation effectively for the easy marks. In the air he is strong and has a good leap making him hard to stop. He also has excellent 1v1 strength in the contest and will take advantage of his opponent’s 1v1 taking strong marks against them. When played down back he also shows that he can read it well and be an intercept marking threat.

Weaknesses:Decision making ability - At times with ball in hand Laverde can try to do too much and can at times make the wrong decisions but when he can do what he does I would be giving him the benefit of the doubt on most occasions and let him just play his natural intuitive football, it is something I have seen him improve as the year has progressed so it is not something I am overly concerned by. Ability through the midfield? - The next stage in Laverde’s development is playing more through the midfield and it is something with time given his attributes that he has the scope to develop. With his evasive movement, skillset, size, strength, explosiveness and his contested ball winning ability he has the right mix of traits to play through the midfield but until he becomes a regular midfielder he is not and the question will remain. What I expect will improve:Given Laverde’s traits I see him making the jump into the midfield and gradually with time increasing his minutes. I also expect his strong general improvement to continue over coming seasons.

Who he can become?I see Laverde as something similar to Crameri as a powerful but athletic forward. Laverde is a more evasive less heavy version and may become more of a midfielder later on but I see Laverde as being overall a similar quality player to Crameri and likely to play a similar role as primarily a forward with eventually some midfield minutes down the track.

When will he be ready to play?Laverde should get some opportunities in season one but season two is when I see him most likely establishing himself as a regular for a team.

How to best utilise him?Laverde is best utilised in the front half given his talent and ability to do damage up forward but later on in his career I would like to see him increase his midfield minutes and split his time between the front half and midfield.

Interpretation of his numbers:Laverde this year has shown strong improvement as the season has progressed improving his disposal efficiency, increasing his overall numbers and taking more marks and contested marks. With his numbers trending upward it is a positive indicator that he will continue his strong development over coming seasons. He also had a very strong and productive U18 Championships where he also displayed an excellent disposal efficiency which was an encouraging sign of progress.

[Whispering_Jack 27,964]

Meanwhile, Luke McAllister has Laverde placed at 5th in his Phantom Draft

Jayden Laverde (Vic Metro, athletic and skilled utility)

189 cm, 82 kg, 12/4/96

Range: Top 15

Laverde’s an athletic utility with some real upside. Very versatile, he’s played more of his football in defence but has also shown some real ability and intelligence when forward and through the middle as well as off a wing. He’s very fast but also has excellent acceleration and exceptional agility and as well as some real strength both in the contest and one on one. His evasion is top tier with his ability to shift his centre of gravity rapidly a particular highlight, aiding him in creating time and space for himself to effectively dispose. He likes to use his athleticism to break lines and take the game on. By foot Laverde is normally solid with his kicks often to advantage and penetrating. However those that aren’t are often clangers or turnovers due to poor decisions. In defence he’s reasonably accountable and able to read the flight and take intercepts but also able to use his height and strength to be a dominant one on one mark both forward and back.

While normally a solid kick he is prone to trying to do too much and be too creative which results in some pretty poor turnovers. At the moment he doesn’t have much inside game instead preferring to hang outside for the receive, though in traffic he’s very composed. At his size and with his skillset there is scope to develop an inside game but it’ll take time. He also hasn’t accumulated as much of the ball through the middle as you’d like.

Laverde’s a very hard player to find a comparison for with very few players sharing his height, versatility and skillset. Jackson Macrae isn’t as penetrating by foot or as fast but they’re similar in their evasive movement and also in their tendency to win outside ball as opposed to inside ball but also having the scope to develop an inside game. He’s someone that still has a bit to work on and is likely to spend some time at state league level early but should be pushing for AFL selection late in the first season and into the second, while really imposing himself and potentially breaking out (big time) in his third and fourth seasons.

[Dockett 32 1,213]

Western Jets? We don't go out there much do we?

[Whispering_Jack 27,964]

My viewing of the highlights and reading of the reviews has me only partly convinced about him. I have this "vibe" that tells me that he promises to be like so many of our draft picks of the past. At least, he goes into a different system and hopefully a different team culture to that which existed at the club over the past decade but for mine, the jury's still a bit out.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Let's look at the draft profiles:-

Paige Cardona has him going at 5 to Collingwood

What an incredibly write up! Could he be the one we wish we had have taken in a couple of years time? I'm sold on him- the way he cut through some of those packs was Judd like. He looks like what we wished Watts would be- an evasive silky player who can take a grab.

I want to take him and see what the new development structures we have in place can turn him into!

[Machsy 2,856]

Laverde looks good, but he's not an inside player.

Doesn't win his own footy.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Laverde looks good, but he's not an inside player.

Doesn't win his own footy.

During Fyfe's 18's year for WA, he was predominately playing as a forward. I don't think anyone envisaged him becoming one of the strongest inside mids within the AFL at age 22. But he is. Which is thanks to competitiveness, body size, attitude, development, environment etc. Not to do with what position he played during his under 18's year.

Just because Laverde was used as a forward/outside midfielder during his under 18's year doesn't mean he can't win his own ball.

There's a lot more to it.

[Freddy Fuschia 661]

Western Jets? We don't go out there much do we?

Not much but we did get Jack Fitzpatrick from there.

[Machsy 2,856]

During Fyfe's 18's year for WA, he was predominately playing as a forward. I don't think anyone envisaged him becoming one of the strongest inside mids within the AFL at age 22. But he is. Which is thanks to competitiveness, body size, attitude, development, environment etc. Not to do with what position he played during his under 18's year.

Just because Laverde was used as a forward/outside midfielder during his under 18's year doesn't mean he can't win his own ball.

There's a lot more to it.

So... You can't see it yet, but it could be there... So lets take a punt?

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,154]

He moves like silk but would be interested to know, from those who may have seen more of him, whether he has any bullishness to his game. A lot harder to find this sort of space at senior level.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

So... You can't see it yet, but it could be there... So lets take a punt?

A punt for us forum dwellers. Less of a punt for a competent recruiting team who id imagine have built up quite a portfolio on Laverde.

You know what I'm saying Machsy. There are a combination of reasons that take players like Fyfe from where he was at under 18's year level to where he is now.

It's not just, 'Laverde didn't play as an inside mid this year therefore he can't win his own ball so he's not what the MFC need'.

Of course there's an element of 'punt'. But you're basing your assertion on a field position. Which is a bit silly.

[Freddy Fuschia 661]

You would hope that we really do have a competent recruiting team these days even if we didn't in the past.

If Laverde is on our radar (and based on his record for Vic Metro and the TAC Cup, he probably is) then our recruiting team and our scouts would no doubt have considered all of these things and summed up his attributes carefully.

The days of taking a punt on a top three selection are well and truly over and we especially need to get things right.

Brayshaw and Laverde would give us a very good mix of midfield player to add to Stretch. I hope we take a mid at 40 as well.

[jacey 333]

Posters don't want McCartin at 3 cause they want midfielders.

Fair enough but they aren't throwing up quality midfield options.

We have Lever who is a KPP who could be an excellent midfielder and Laverde who is a utility who could be a midfielder in the future.

Both haven't played a lot in the midfield let alone dominated that position. No exposed form to say they'll be what people project.

McCartin is the easy choice for me.

[Machsy 2,856]

Do you really think McCartin is that good as a KPF?

I think he's ridiculously overhyped, personally.