Laitham Vandermeer

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Laitham Vandermeer

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|2|03|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| originalteam = Murray Bushrangers (TAC Cup)/Mooroopna Football Club

| draftpick = No. 37, 2018 AFL draft, {{AFL WB}}

| debutdate = 14 June 2020

| debutteam = {{AFL WB}}

| debutopponent = St Kilda

| debutstadium = Marvel Stadium

| height = 180 cm

| weight = 77 kg

| position = Utility

| currentclub = {{AFL WB}}

| guernsey = 23

| statsend = round 13, 2025

| years1 = 2019–

| club1 = {{AFL WB}}

| games_goals1 = 78 (43)

| careerhighlights =

Chris Grant Best First Year Player (2020)

}}

Laitham Vandermeer (born 3 February 1999) is an Australian rules footballer, who plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Western Bulldogs with the 37th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft.{{cite web|title=AFL Draft - Pick 37: Laitham Vandermeer|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/20553/afl-draft-pick-37-laitham-vandermeer|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}}{{cite web|title=Laitham Vandermeer - Footywire|url=https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-western-bulldogs--laitham-vandermeer|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}}

Early Football

Vandermeer participated in the Auskick program at Mooroopna, VictoriaAFL Record. Round 9, 2022. pg 42

Vandermeer played for the Murray Bushrangers for 3 seasons and Vic Country in the AFL Under 18 Championships for 1 season.{{cite web|title=Aussie Rules Draft Central - Laitham Vandermeer|url=https://afl.draftcentral.com.au/player/laitham-vandermeer/|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}} Prior he played with Mooroopna Football Club and his school side at Xavier College, with future teammate Bailey Smith.{{cite web|title=From Xavier's half-back line to a prelim: Schoolmates on two EPIC moments|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/675166/from-xavier-s-half-back-line-to-a-prelim-schoolmates-on-two-epic-moments|last1=Twomey|first1=Callum|access-date=11 September 2021|date=11 September 2021|work=AFL Media}}

AFL career

=2020 season: Debut=

Vandermeer played 15 games for the Bulldogs' Victorian Football League (VFL) side in 2019,{{cite web|title=One more year for Vandermeer|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/539881/one-more-year-for-vandermeer|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}} before breaking into the Australian Football League (AFL) team in 2020. Vandermeer debuted in the Bulldogs' loss to the St Kilda Saints in the second round of the 2020 AFL season.{{cite news|title=Saint win big as Dogs falter under Sunday night spotlight|date=14 June 2020|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/06/14/saints-win-big-as-dogs-faulter-under-sunday-night-spotlight/|work=SEN 1116|last1=Rosen|first=Laurence|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}}{{cite web|title=The Shepp Dog lapping things up|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/732868/the-shepp-dog-lapping-things-up|access-date=27 June 2020|language=english}} Vandermeer kicked his first goal on his debut, as well as collecting 10 disposals, 3 marks and 2 tackles.{{cite web|title=Round 2 • St Kilda v Western Bulldogs - Player Stats|url=https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2056#player-stats|access-date=2 September 2020}} Vandermeer suffered a hamstring injury in the Bulldogs' 11 point loss to the Geelong Football Club in the 14th round of the 2020 AFL season, and was ruled out for the rest of the home and away season.{{cite web|title=Double injury blow for Dogs makes finals a tough ask|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/494562/double-injury-blow-for-dogs-makes-finals-a-tough-ask|date=1 September 2020|last1=Canil|first1=Jourdan|work=AFl Media|access-date=2 September 2020}} Vandermeer won the Western Bulldogs Chris Grant Best First Year Player award, after playing 12 games in the 2020 AFL season and kicking 9 goals.{{cite web|title=King Caleb: Daniel crowned top Dog|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/823148/king-caleb-daniel-crowned-top-dog|work=Western Bulldogs Media|date=6 October 2020|access-date=7 October 2020}}

=2021 season=

Vandermeer started out the season strongly, kicking 2 goals and collecting 14 disposals in the {{AFL WB}}' opening round win over {{AFL Col}}.{{cite web|title=Treloar gets the last laugh as Dogs dominate disposals|url=https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2986#match-report|last1=Cleary|first1=Mitch|date=19 March 2021|work=AFL Media|access-date=23 March 2021}}{{cite web|title=Smith's super start|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/886956/smith-s-super-start|work=Western Bulldogs Media|access-date=23 March 2021|date=23 March 2021}}

Statistics

: Statistics are correct to round 2, 2021{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Laitham_Vandermeer.html|title=Laitham Vandermeer|work=AFL Tables|access-date=11 July 2020}}

| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019

| {{AFL WB}} || 23 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020{{efn|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.}}

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WB}}

| 23 || 12 || 9 || 9 || 72 || 45 || 117 || 31 || 26 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 6.0 || 3.8 || 9.8 || 2.6 || 2.2

| scope="row" text-align:center | 2021

| {{AFL WB}}

| 23 || 2 || 3 || 2 || 10 || 14 || 24 || 4 || 6 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 5.0 || 7.0 || 12.0 || 2.0 || 3.0

|- style="background:#EAEAEA; font-weight:bold; width:2em"

| scope="row" text-align:center class="sortbottom" colspan=3 | Career

| 14

| 12

| 11

| 82

| 59