Laverde was awarded the most improved player and the inaugural McCracken Medal, an initiative introduced by Rutten in recognition of the clubβs founding family, the McCrackens.
I love Rutten
Has a bit of the Tom Hardyβs, does Jayden.
If the defensive 6/7 can reduce the oppositions average by 1 to 2 goals a game from the average of 2nd half of 2021 - when the backline started to gell, Laverde will play a large part in this as the lockdown key back.
Just need a bit of luck re injury with fwds - and graduale improvement from Wright and Jones - and a fit Walla. Canβt be relieing on solo efforts from Stringer.
Had the pleasure of sitting right behind the goals last year and watching Lav defend was a highlight of the game. He is a formidable beast. He was aggressive, physical & hard at the contest. He badgered & physically challenged his opponent throughout the entire game.
Thatβs what Iβve noticed too love him down back been a genuis move by Truck and saved Lavs career
Heβs a stronger less β β β β β version of dyl Grimes, heβll take his game to new levels in 2022 imo. If Stewart comes on and Kelly gels with the group Jayden will become an ace up the sleeve.
His offensive ability is untapped and he didnβt get to show his ability on smalls last year but I think itβs an area he would do well at
Still could make it as an inside mid
He loves you too Nino 
We all do.
Even the ones who donβt.
Agreed. I think having Kelly aswell to llockdown small forwards who ran riot against us is also going to add to this well.
Loved LAV.
This bloke is a monster. He could become one of the best back men in the comp by the end of the year. Full credit to him and the coaches for the positional change.
Potential AA.
Lid off for LAV.
past tense hey?
as Laverde lines up on an opponent
Essendon v Western Bulldogs practice match: Jayden Laverde pledges future to Bombers
Jon Ralph
4 min read
February 22, 2022 - 3:35PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Jayden Laverde was one of the reasons behind Essendonβs rise to finals last year, making him a prime free agency target. He opens up on his next move.
Essendon free agent Jayden Laverde has pledged his future to the club he grew up supporting as he prepares for another season playing on footyβs greatest forwards.
Laverde emerged as one of Essendonβs success stories last year after the injury-prone half forward was recast into a key back able to nullify the AFLβs best key forwards.
As Essendon prepares to take on the Western Bulldogs on Wednesday in an official AFL practice match, Laverde says another summer together for the new βBaby Bombersβ can only grow the exciting young group.
Down by only three points at halftime in last Septemberβs elimination final, the end result was a nasty 49-point domination by a Dogs side that pushed Melbourne deep into the Grand Final.
Now after a flawless summer Laverde believes he is well-placed to build on 2021βs successes, which would make a contract extension to stay at Essendon a fait accompli.
βFor me I would love to be one-club player, I mean I grew up barracking for Essendon. It would be pretty nice, I grew up not far from the club. So it is a perfect world for me, I couldnβt imagine it being better or any other way,β he told the Herald Sun.
βIt will get done. (My manager) will get it done, which is nice. I obviously want to build on last year and staying injury-free and getting through the bulk of the games last year was really nice for me personally. So I am really focused on that. I have had a good last couple of months and am wanting to take it into the next season so that is all I am focused on at the moment.β
THE POSITIONAL CHANGE
In six completed seasons Laverde, the No. 20 pick in the 2014 national draft, had never played more than 10 games in a single year.
Then came the brief 2020 experiment that turned into one of footyβs greatest positional switches last year.
The former flanker didnβt just play on medium-sized talls, his list of opponents from Round 15 opponent included Tom McDonald (kept goalless), Tom Hawkins (two goals), Nick Larkey (goalless), Lance Franklin (two goals), Ben King (goalless) and Tim English (goalless in the elimination final).
βAt the start of the year I wasnβt really sure if I would play forward or back. I had asked to play down back when I was younger and nothing eventuated but in 2020 I played half a game down back and βTruckβ (coach Ben Rutten) liked what he saw. He said I would have a full pre-season down there and learn the craft.β
βThen the ball got rolling and my confidence grew. Truck and Gia (defensive coach Daniel Giansiracusa) had faith and belief in me.
βTo play on players like Buddy and Hawkins, I definitely didnβt think I would be lining up on them at the start of the year and taking on the challenge head-on but I am pretty proud of it given where I had come from.
βWe play Geelong in Round 1 so it will be the Hawkins match-up or Jezza Cameron. Each forward had their own little things to look out for. Do they hit up at the ball? Do they get up close and get contact in. You donβt want to body up on Hawkins so I have learned a lot from those guys.β
THE EARLY FINALS RE-MATCH
Essendon was ultimately found wanting in the second half of that Tasmanian final as the powerful Dogs midfield took hold.
An official February practice match against the same side provides a perfect litmus test of summer growth rather than any capacity for revenge.
βItβs perfect that we get to go up against the same side,β Laverde said.
βWe have trained against the same blokes for a fair few months now. It will be good to see where our improvement is at. Hopefully we can bring our best footy and see how it stacks up against the Dogs because they are a great team.
βWe take great lessons out of the final. We were with them for a half and the second half showed the gap we need to close.β
THE KEY FORWARD CANDIDATES
Harrison Jonesβ breakout season showed he will at some stage become a forward mainstay, but Rutten is also excited by the progress of summer rookie addition Kaine Baldwin.
Recruiter Adrian Dodoro secured him last year as a high-risk high-reward tall forward off two knee reconstructions and he has shown signs on the track this summer a debut is in the offing after an injury-interrupted first season.
βHe is a workhorse. He is in the same boat as Hurls (Michael Hurley). The amount of work he has put in since he came to the club, he is one of those guys who is really diligent,β says Laverde.
βHe rocked up in great nick and heβs turning some heads. I had some time on him in the intra-club the other day and heβs got really strong body, heβs a good overhead contested mark, he covers the ground well and we are really excited about him.β
Exited!
Any word on how bad his ribs are?
They had three people on the ground at quarter time collecting bone fragments
He has turned into Superman, just keeps going and giving it his all.
Couldnβt believe he was back on the ground job the second quarter