GWS Giant Jayden Laverde will take no further part in Sunday afternoon's clash with the Gold Coast Suns, after a knee to the ribs took its toll on the former Bomber.
Laverde, now 30, attempted to play through the pain, but his visible discomfort eventually became too telling, with the club confirming he will take no further part in the contest, shortly after the quarter-time break.
Laverde's brief cameo puts further pressure on a Giants backline already missing the likes of Jack Buckley, on a wet and miserable afternoon in Canberra.
Jayden Laverde (ribs) has been ruled out of the game after receiving a knee to the back in this contest.#AFLGiantsSuns pic.twitter.com/YOIbgH0dNJ
— AFL (@AFL) August 9, 2026
While scrambling for a ground ball in the wet conditions, a stray knee from lumbering young Suns tall Ethan Read caught the 164-gamer awkwardly.
Jayden Laverde (ribs) will not return.
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) August 9, 2026
Shortly after the first change, midfielder Toby Bedford was pulled from the contest citing back pain, appearing in significant pain. He was unable to pull himself up off the massage table unassisted, in ominous signs for his potential return to the match.
Adam Kingsley and co will be hoping the diagnosis for his bargain-buy defender is reasonably positive, with the men in orange and charcoal side still a mathematical chance to feature in September.
Damien Hardwick's Suns lead Adam Kingsley's Giants 4.4 (28) to 2.6 (18), nine minutes gone in the second term.
More to come.
