Jayden Laverde

Jayden Laverde
Laverde playing for Essendon in 2025
Personal information
Full name Jayden Laverde
Born (1996-04-12) 12 April 1996
Original team Western Jets (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 20, 2014 national draft
Height 193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 94 kg (207 lb)
Position Key Defender
Club information
Current club Greater Western Sydney
Number 25
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015–2025 Essendon 145 (38)
2026– Greater Western Sydney 2 (0)
Total 145 (38)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 1, 2026.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Jayden Laverde (/ləˈvɜːd/ lə-VUR-dee;[1] born 12 April 1996) is a professional Australian rules footballer who currently plays for Greater Western Sydney in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previous played eleven seasons for the Essendon Football Club.[2] He was recruited with the 20th overall selection in the 2014 national draft.[3]

Early life

Laverde played as a junior at Keilor Football Club[4] and played for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup.[5] He was named All-Australian in the AFL Under 18 Championships, playing for Vic Metro.[6]

AFL career

Laverde was drafted by Essendon with pick 20 in the 2014 national draft. He made his AFL debut against Melbourne in round 15 of the 2015 AFL season.[7] In his first season, he played nine games and kicked five goals. In 2016 he suffered an ankle injury and was sidelined for eight weeks.

Originally starting his career as a forward, in the 2021 AFL season his career was reinvigorated with a move to defence.[8]

Laverde played 145 games for Essendon over 11 seasons, before he was delisted at the end of the 2025 AFL season.[9][10]

Laverde joined Greater Western Sydney on the first day of the 2025/26 Supplemental Selection Period.[11]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 1, 2026.[12]

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2015 Essendon 33 9 5 1 49 68 117 32 34 0.6 0.1 5.4 7.6 13.0 3.6 3.8 0
2016 Essendon 33 9 8 9 64 41 105 43 26 0.9 1.0 7.1 4.6 11.7 4.8 2.9 0
2017 Essendon 33 5 1 5 26 30 56 16 14 0.2 1.0 5.2 6.0 11.2 3.2 2.8 0
2018 Essendon 33 7 5 6 54 37 91 27 18 0.7 0.9 7.7 5.3 13.0 3.9 2.6 0
2019 Essendon 15 10 11 13 66 48 114 39 21 1.1 1.3 6.6 4.8 11.4 3.9 2.1 0
2020[a] Essendon 15 6 6 3 30 16 46 20 15 1.0 0.5 5.0 2.7 7.7 3.3 2.5 0
2021 Essendon 15 23 1 0 202 116 318 134 35 0.0 0.0 8.8 5.0 13.8 5.8 1.5 0
2022 Essendon 15 22 0 1 190 123 313 137 45 0.0 0.0 8.6 5.6 14.2 6.2 2.0 0
2023 Essendon 15 19 1 0 186 115 301 124 37 0.1 0.0 9.8 6.1 15.8 6.5 1.9 0
2024 Essendon 15 21 0 0 194 139 333 127 33 0.0 0.0 9.2 6.6 15.9 6.0 1.6 0
2025 Essendon 15 14 0 0 139 77 216 97 25 0.0 0.0 9.9 5.5 15.4 6.9 1.8 0
2026 Greater Western Sydney 25 2 0 0 25 8 33 20 4 0.0 0.0 12.5 4.0 16.5 10.0 2.0
Career 147 38 38 1225 818 2043 816 307 0.3 0.3 8.3 5.6 13.9 5.6 2.1 0

Notes

  1. ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. ^ "How to say the AFL's trickiest names". Australian Football League. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  2. ^ Keating, Mitch (30 September 2025). "GWS confirm acquisition of former Essendon defender: AFL trade news". Zero Hanger. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. ^ Clark, Jay (28 November 2014), "AFL Draft 2014: Jayden Laverde joins Essendon, wants to play like Nat Fyfe", Herald Sun
  4. ^ Quayle, Emma (14 November 2014), "AFL draft: Keilor's fab 5 set for the big time", Herald Sun
  5. ^ D’Anello, Luke (26 November 2014), "AFL first-round draft prospect and Western Jets star Jayden Laverde adds to his highlights reel", Brimbank Leader
  6. ^ D’Anello, Luke (23 July 2014), "Western Jets star Jayden Laverde a contender", Hobsons Bay Leader
  7. ^ Twomey, Liam (13 July 2015), "Keilor's Jayden Laverde rapt over AFL debut", Star Weekly, archived from the original on 24 September 2015, retrieved 15 July 2015
  8. ^ Twomey, Callum (26 June 2021), "How a seven-goal thumping proved the catalyst for Don's career-best form", AFL
  9. ^ "Laverde, Goldstein to depart Bombers". Essendon Football Club. 21 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Club Statement: Jayden Laverde". gwsgiants.com.au. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Ex-Bomber's lifeline confirmed as new Giants hit training track". AFL Media. 24 November 2025.
  12. ^ "Jayden Laverde". AFL Tables. Retrieved 22 March 2026.