I find it odd boekhurst was delisted. He’s looked more than handy a few times.
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He can definitely overtake Langford and Myers.
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I find it hard to assess Laverde. Based on what i’ve seen I don’t rate him. But he’s been so underdone when he’s played I think it’s best to basically ignore his form, treat him like a brand new recruit and hope that his physical attributes translate into him being a good player eventually
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There are 15 midfielders on the field.
The only time there is a traditional midfield set up is at the centre bounce.
Every player gets their chance in the midfield.
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This is a myth.
Those heat maps that were posted a couple weeks back prove this.
There are clear wing type roles eg. Colyer
There are clear half back roles eg. Hurley & McKenna
There are clear half forward roles eg. Fantasia
And there are clear midfield roles eg. Merrett
If we are talking about Laverde progressing to a midfield role, where he is expected to get contested ball and clearances - he is behind a fair few, and there’s not that many roles available, which goes against your 15 mids in a side statement.
There are midfielders that sit behind the ball, and midfielders that sit in front of the ball.
For instance, Merrett was playing behind the ball. Most of his possession were off half back. No one has ever mentioned that Zac Merrett is a half back flanker.
I’m not sure that the Heatmaps indicate a clear position either.
Walla for example picked up 34% of his disposals in the defensive half.
saw a few new posts here, thought he was injured again. phewf.
No one is denying that Zach is a midfielder though.
When we say that Jayden is going to become a midfielder what do we mean by that?
Do we mean that he becomes part of the mid rotations? He takes Jobes spot?
A midfielder is a player that is constantly around the ball, wins the ball in the packs and clears the ball to the benefit of the team. If you aren’t doing that then you are a flanker or a winger.
Of the players who played significant amount of games we had five who averaged more than 3 clearances.
Jobe, Zerrett, Parish, Hepp and Myers.
The only other two players to average over 2 clearances a game were our wingers. Zaka and BJ
All I am saying is that people on here are thinking Jayden walks up into one of our primary midfield spots, I just can’t see it happening at the start of the season.
I’d like to see LAV expand his craft next year either as an inside mid like Lang did all year or as a HBF’r.
If he was going to be moving into anyone’s spot it’ll be Goddards, and thus able to play anywhere on ground ideal.
In LAV’s junior highlight he actually is seen getting the ball all over the ground and seems versatile enough to be a utility type.
Just can’t see him being able to make a fwd line spot his own now based on the success of 3 talls/3smalls.
That said IF we went away from that structure then LAV 70:30 fwd/mid, switching with Stringer 30:70 fwd/mid could work.
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There are midfield rotations though.
A player may only be in midfield for 5 minutes a quarter but that is their function for that time.
Woosha regularly talks about 10-15 midfielders when discussing team structures.
I know, understand that.
But my point is, there are clear starting mid rotations, and those mids play the predominate minutes in the midfield. People on here are saying Jayden will be this at the start of the year.
All I’m saying is that he is a fair way back in the pecking order for a starting mid.
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I agree with that.
I haven’t seen anything to suggest he will make it as a mid.
With the addition of Stringer and Smith I think he is under the most pressure in the side.
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It’s my time to give it a crack’
Callum Twomey December 17, 2017
AFTER an injury-affected first three years of his AFL career, Essendon youngster Jayden Laverde is determined to step up next season as he strives for a place in the Bombers’ midfield.
The 21-year-old’s tilt at earning a regular place in Essendon’s senior side suffered a setback last year when he had to undergo ankle surgery after rupturing a ligament during the JLT Community Series.
It kept him out of action for more than four months, and followed a 2016 campaign that was already hit by injury, that time a shoulder reconstruction in the first month of the year.
But he has set his sights on a more productive 2018.
“I know I haven’t shown what my full potential is and I feel it’s up to me to do it now. Being my fourth year I’ve had enough time to realise, and to know, what’s expected, so it’s my time to really give it a crack,” Laverde told AFL.com.au.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long but it’s my time to give it a crack and see how I go,”
“In my mind, I’ve got a lot more to show.”
There have so far been glimpses, but not as many – nor as consistent – as Laverde would have liked.
Last season was particularly frustrating for Laverde. For the first time, he had started a pre-season competition confident in his body, and happy with the preparation he had put in.
But his “freak accident” ankle injury left him out of action for the majority of the year. He returned to some good form at VFL level, including a six-goal half in July, and played in five of Essendon’s final six games of the home and away season.
He admits he wasn’t at his best, and felt a second or two off: a little reactive, a touch fumbly, a bit off the pace. He was dropped for Essendon’s elimination final against the Swans, and his side’s season ended there.
“It was annoying getting injured when I did. I felt I put my body in a position where I could play some good AFL footy, and was feeling pretty good about myself but freakish things happen,” he said.
"There wasn’t much I could do about it, but I tried to be as diligent as I could with my rehab and get back to playing AFL footy later in the season, which I did.
"When I came back, I felt fine and my body felt good. I had a good patch of form to get back into the ones quite quickly, but my touch was a little bit off here and there and hopefully this stint of pre-season will get me there.
“It was obviously pretty tough to take not playing the final, but I’ll take some good lessons from that and use that as some resilience and try to build my character off that.”
Laverde spent a fair chunk of his off-season working towards a career-best 2018. After a break, he headed to America with a group of teammates, mainly the club’s younger brigade, for a training camp in October and November.
The trip included visits to NBA clubs the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards, as well as NFL side the Cleveland Browns.
The overseas training block was optional, but Laverde has noticed the difference since returning. “By the time I got back I felt like I was ready to train hard from the start of pre-season,” he said.
Laverde, who was selected by the Bombers with pick No.20 at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, has managed 23 games in three seasons with the Bombers, playing primarily as a half-forward.
But his size – he stands at 191cm and around 82kg – combined with his pace and agility, make him an option for Essendon in the midfield.
It’s where he sees his future if he can continue to build on his endurance, and as the Bombers search for some size in their on-ball brigade, Laverde sees an opportunity to make it his next year in what shapes as a big season in his career.
“Because I’ve had a few setbacks I haven’t been able to show myself fully. I think that my best footy is played throughout the midfield, but I’m quite happy playing up forward if I’m in the best 22 playing as a forward,” he says.
“Then being able to go in and change a game through the midfield. As my career goes on I want to become a full-time midfielder once that endurance is up to an elite level and I can go all day in there.”
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Talk LAV to me
He looks more than 82kg.
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That can’t be right. Gleeson’s listed at 191/84, Laverde must be more like 90.
It’s funny how every guy with a bit of size and pace is talked about as being a future inside midfielder like it’s an easy transition. The best players play in the midfield for a reason. You might have the physical attributes to, but if you don’t have the most important skill of where to go to win the ball and affect the contest you are pretty much useless in there.
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Let the FLUFF pieces BEGIN
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I think Lav had those attributes. His best parts where when he was treating people with disdain while they hung off him and fed a hand pass. Or taking a screamer
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