#15 Jayden Laverde - ๐‹๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐“›๐“ช๐“พ๐“ฐ๐“ฑ ๐•ƒ๐”ธ๐• (Part 1)

I think you are incorrectly putting Lav into the tall bracket. Heโ€™s a mid forward and Iโ€™d argue has a similar speed to Green, is just as good if not better on the ground compared to Green and is miles better in the air.
Keep in mind that Laverde is also seen as a midfielder so is not seen as a tall and gives some flexibility to go into the midfield.

3 Likes

When youโ€™re next to him talk is what you think.

He is not an outright Key Position player, agreed. But the manner in which he plays is very much as a lead-up marking target who is also strong enough to win contested marking battles.

i.e. the comparison to Tom Lynch who is the exact same height and is their 4th โ€˜tallโ€™ if you like. He has the speed and good hands to be the hit up target but is also agile enough to be pretty good when it hits the deck.

Lav is an exciting prospect because like you say, he is clean with his ball handling (no puns please lol) and has speed.

You can say he is โ€˜seenโ€™ as a midfielder but the fact is if he is coming into the AFL side this year he will be playing as a forward not as a midfielder.
I hope next year and into the future he can develop into a mid/fwd.

5 Likes

Been around the world donโ€™t speak the language.

1 Like

Heโ€™s a mid IMO. Play him in the fkn guts

2 Likes

If Laverde comes in for Green, other players would need to change their rotations fwd% vs mid%. The talls would need to drift out of the F50 more and guys like Parish or Colyer would need to spend time providing forward pressure. You would get Daniher and Stewart spending more time as tall midfielders. If Laverde can rotate to the wing and provide some chase pressure around the ground, while other smalls drift forward we could largely cover the loss of Greenโ€™s forward pressure. That role would require a solid fitness base, which Laverde propably doesnโ€™t yet have.

The forward rotation would look something like:

Hooker
Daniher
Stewart
Laverde
Fantasia
Walla
Parish
Colyer

I think LAV has the smarts and agility to be effective when the ball hits the deck in the forward 50, as well as providing a target.

Anyway, I think it is more about the defensive pressure heโ€™ll apply - can he do it to a level consistent with a โ€˜smallโ€™ forward, e.g. Green? Thatโ€™s half the battle with small forwards these days.

Donโ€™t want to muck around with the forward line formula as it is obviously working, but iโ€™d love for Woosha to

BRING
HIM
IN

1 Like

LAV certainly ainโ€™t like Greenโ€ฆ he knows how to lead!

Also, he takes his high speckies more than a foot off the ground.

3 Likes

This

In my mind hes competing with Parish, Colyer, Zaha for an spot in the midfield.

He shouldnt come in for stewart etc.

1 Like

Disagree heโ€™s a mid. Pre season he was looking like a great third tall, ran in straight lines, good mark, good kick. Heโ€™s kicked 6 this week and 3 last and I donโ€™t reckon heโ€™s clean enough handling the ball to be a midfielder

9 Likes

Iโ€™m with you there WOB

LaVerde has some great attributes but the running in straight lines is a potential problem as a mid
Turning circle of a truck.

1 Like

If you kick 6 in the magoos, you should probably come in

Green looks cooked to me. Iโ€™d swap them, to at least see what that setup looks like anyway

2 Likes

Even if green is injured, I donโ€™t think Lav comes in for him yet.

As others have said, itโ€™s his 3rd game back, first full game but โ€ฆ
ATM all of our small forwards in the seniors are running through the midfield for periods of the game, they are applying pressure in our forward half.

I just canโ€™t see lav doing either of those 2 important things ATM. He wonโ€™t get the luxury of solely being able to play in the fwd 50, and he definately wonโ€™t be the no.1 main target like he was on the weekend.

Iโ€™d say work on his match fitness, get the midfield time up and work on his defensive pressure and he could and should be ready to play seniors in 2-3 weeks.

6 Likes

I agree with you DKP.

I need a lie down.

3 goals off limited time.
6 goals off 10 shots whilst not 100% fit

Doesnโ€™t come in.

If he gets goals next week and doesnโ€™t come in. Iโ€™m gonna burn tulla

1 Like

Doesnโ€™t have clean hands? To me has looked like one of the cleanest youngsters in the senior side in years.

Right now he is a forward because the club clearly wants him to develop that side of his game, plus there seems to be a best 22 spot for him in that role. But I have no doubt at all Lav will become a mid in a couple years when Watson, Goddard, Stanton, Hocking are retired.

2 Likes

Against popular opinion, I agree with that. Before he was drafted, I figured him for a big-bodied, forward/mid. I donโ€™t agree with the โ€˜straight-line/non-agileโ€™ opinions about him.

4 Likes

himself and langford are Half fwd flankers and good ones. Not that they cant eventually play in the midfield but they are both natural smart fwdโ€™s.They both look out of place in the middle.

I reckon they play nothing like each other though.

1 Like