As a smaller midfielder in the crash and bash of Australian football, he's spent his young career punching above his weight.
Now, it's got him in Saturday's A-League Men grand final in his home town.
The hard-running midfielder is brilliant at getting back to cut off opposition attacks and creative going forward.
Two assists against Auckland, including an incredible ball for Bruno Fornaroli's winner, underlined his quality.
"Obviously playing those games helps with confidence," Valadon, 22, told AAP.
"But it's obviously not just me. It's the team - I can get a lot of confidence from that, and I can trust them to do their job, and then that helps me to excel in how I can play.
"I'll be looking to take that into the game this Saturday."
Former Melbourne City youth player Valadon is the smaller, but high-octane engine to Victory's midfield, complementing tempo-setting Socceroo Ryan Teague with great effect.
"Me and Teaguey in the middle has been something really growing throughout the season, even last year towards the end," he said.
"It's been amazing just on the field, off the field we've created a good relationship - I think it shows on the field."
Clearly the smallest starter at Victory, almost a head shorter than 182cm-tall Teague, Valadon hasn't let anything stop him from reaching the top.
"When people are against you or think you can't do something, it gives you that little bit extra that you want to prove them wrong," he said.
"Obviously I do this for myself but there's that little bit in the back of you where you go, 'I can actually prove them wrong and that shuts them up'.
"It's more so to prove myself right that just because of that, it doesn't mean I can't be the best player I can be."
Valadon knows his height has no impact when it comes to the things that matter - just like former Central Coast star Josh Nisbet and City dynamo Marco Tilio.
"There's things I can, in a way, look up to. Obviously Nisbet got player of the year last year, and he's gone on to get a Socceroos cap," he said.
"You've got Tilio, who's been to Celtic, he's obviously in form as well at the moment.
"So there's nothing that holds us back, really."
The Melburnian hopes to help Victory all the way to a championship against City on Saturday after falling short last year - and dreams of scoring on the big stage.
"I would love one in the grand final. I think that's something I'll never, ever be able to forget," he said.
"But first, as a team, winning the final is what's on my mind."
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