Laverty is extremely confident if you read/watch his interviews. A bit too self propelled.
He claims only people at his level can see Stoner as the total package but I watched almost the entire MotoGP season in 2006 and immediately I felt that Stoner was the real deal. On that LCR Honda he out rode many riders, and did so in style.
Not a huge fan of Laverty, bit too cocky for a runner up and he claims the "title should have been his" (if but etc.