The ‘powerful’ 21yo beast that can lead the Western Bulldogs to a flag

[bornadog]

Link (https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/afl-news-2021-aaron-naughton-western-bulldogs-contract-stats-ben-brown-trade-mark-maclure/news-story/a104718a5649f5ce7dd500e5be4e0992?recommendedCount=0)

https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/8325c351b8348cdaa841761d0f4c6bca

Triple premiership Blue Mark Maclure believes young star forward Aaron Naughton can lead the Western Bulldogs to a premiership, declaring he’ll be “very wealthy” when his AFL career ends.


Naughton was drafted by the Bulldogs as a defender with Pick 9 in the 2017 draft and spent his debut season as a backman.


But since 2019, Naughton has developed into one of the league’s most exciting tall forwards, booting 80 goals from his past 49 games. He sits sixth on this year’s Coleman Medal table and is ranked first in the league for both contested marks and marks inside 50.

The 21-year-old on Sunday produced one of his most eye-catching performances yet, booting 4.2 from 15 disposals and nine marks (five contested) in the Dogs’ win over the West Coast Eagles.


Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Maclure said Naughton was part of the new breed of taller, more “powerful and strong” AFL key forwards.


“It is extraordinary how big he is and how powerful he is. The bravery of the leap at times, just huge.

“For mine, he could take this side to Grand Final day and win it.”

[EasternWest]

I would be terrified as a defender if I had to play on Naughton. He's a chance in every single marking contest, he's quick off the mark and he hunts the ball when it hits the ground.

[Happy Days]

He’s still strangely gettable one-on-one. May and Weitering have more or less blanketed him by keeping body contact with him, and even Henry had some success when accommodated by less than friendly delivery.

I think that we’re getting better at putting the ball in the space in front of Naughton rather than on his head though, which is what we should do every entry. It doesn’t really matter how the defenders are set up in front of him because if he gets any room to run and jump 95% of the time he will catch it.

[KT31]

I would be terrified as a defender if I had to play on Naughton. He's a chance in every single marking contest, he's quick off the mark and he hunts the ball when it hits the ground.

I would also be terrified playing forward in the same team.

[bulldogtragic]

I would also be terrified playing forward in the same team.

Absolutely. It took Timmy a month to get over that fear. Every human is an opportunity for him to climb into and over it.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

He’s still strangely gettable one-on-one. May and Weitering have more or less blanketed him by keeping body contact with him, and even Henry had some success when accommodated by less than friendly delivery.

I think that we’re getting better at putting the ball in the space in front of Naughton rather than on his head though, which is what we should do every entry. It doesn’t really matter how the defenders are set up in front of him because if he gets any room to run and jump 95% of the time he will catch it.

The thing that has propelled Naughton forward is his developed forward craft. He's getting on the lead often, which is what he needs to do against some of the better key defenders like May who simply can't go with him on the lead. We were dreadful v Melbourne but I thought he showed signs of handling May better than he did in the pre-season.

Henry was a good match up for Naughton in that he was quick enough on the lead and strong enough to body him 1-v-1, but it was a small sample size.

Ultimately Naughton is either too quick on the lead, too athletic or too strong for every key defender in the league so it's just a matter of adjusting his playing style depending on the game and his opponent.

[Mantis]

He’s still strangely gettable one-on-one. May and Weitering have more or less blanketed him by keeping body contact with him, and even Henry had some success when accommodated by less than friendly delivery.

I think that we’re getting better at putting the ball in the space in front of Naughton rather than on his head though, which is what we should do every entry. It doesn’t really matter how the defenders are set up in front of him because if he gets any room to run and jump 95% of the time he will catch it.

He still is only 21 (Weitering is 23, May is 29) and from his own words has only had one proper pre-season. Wait until he has had a couple more years in the gym and has developed his core strength as he will then have the ability to wrestle with you, out-run you and sit on your head... good luck dealing with that.

[Mofra]

He is arguably our best pressure forward when the ball hits the deck too. His repeat work is what really sets him apart, he's always influencing the contest.

[1eyedog]

He’s still strangely gettable one-on-one. May and Weitering have more or less blanketed him by keeping body contact with him, and even Henry had some success when accommodated by less than friendly delivery.

I think that we’re getting better at putting the ball in the space in front of Naughton rather than on his head though, which is what we should do every entry. It doesn’t really matter how the defenders are set up in front of him because if he gets any room to run and jump 95% of the time he will catch it.

Yeah I'm amazed defenders are still allowing him to run and jump at the ball.

[EasternWest]

I would also be terrified playing forward in the same team.

Captain Insano shows no mercy.

[bornadog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDql0tRpgv0&ab_channel=ALsHighlights

[azabob]

He is arguably our best pressure forward when the ball hits the deck too. His repeat work is what really sets him apart, he's always influencing the contest.

I actually don't think you need to argue that point.

The only player he'd be up against is Weightman.

Naughton is a freak of an athlete who can actually play football.

[comrade]

Timmy was looking around very nervously in that contest!

[ratsmac]

I love him!

[jeemak]

How good's the Hunter block!

[Axe Man]

How St Kilda’s draft strategy cost it Aaron Naughton, Marcus Bontempelli and Christian Petracca (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-st-kildas-draft-strategy-cost-it-aaron-naughton-marcus-bontempelli-and-christian-petracca/news-story/a5689268d5cbbaf62faa6f5a63aed87c?fbclid=IwAR0bjA2AfRz2O1sDSW cBOAQlS1tb8gwA2MuAnLi82YIMJu1U5NiorIb1g7I)

St Kilda could have three of the AFL’s best talents. Instead, it is paying the price for a draft curse and missed opportunities to land a future star.

This is a tale of two football clubs and “Air” Naughton.

Air Naughton is Aaron Naughton, the 21-year-old Bulldog – who could’ve been a Saint – and who is earning the accolade of the best emerging key forward in the game.

His ability to leap and take contested marks makes him a point of difference and a key component of the Bulldogs’ September campaign.

By the end of the season, who knows, the ‘emerging’ could be removed and the tag might be ‘the best key forward in the game’.

He’s exciting, fearless and adventurous in the air, and the slight on his kicking is a fraction overplayed.

Already, he has been compared to a young Wayne Carey.

I see more of a comparison with a young Matthew Richardson: athletic, loves to run with the ball, an outrageously high leap and lean with long arms.

And Richo could never beat down the critics of his goal kicking.

Stephen Kernahan was one of the great pack and one-on-one-marks of his generation and sees talent overload in Naughton.

“I saw the highlights of the marks he took in the wet at the weekend, and he was just grabbing the ball from everywhere,’’ the former Carlton great said yesterday.

“Is he 21? I couldn’t believe he is 21, is that right?

“I saw him last year developing and blossoming, and he was taking big pack marks and a heap of contested marks and, let’s face it, not many do nowadays.

“At the weekend, he was just jumping from everywhere and they couldn’t stop it.

“(Tom) Barrass and (Jeremy) McGovern, they are no slouches and they usually stop their blokes, but they were lost at sea with him.

“It was outstanding to watch, bloody hell he’s good.’’

St Kilda could’ve had Naughton.

In fact, St Kilda could’ve had Naughton and Marcus Bontempelli and, for that matter, Christian Petracca, if they chose wisely at three national drafts.

The Saints took Hunter Clark (No. 7) and Nick Coffield (No. 8) in the 2017 national draft. They selected two back flankers ahead of Naughton, who went to the Dogs at No.9.

In 2013, they selected midfielder Jack Billings at No.3. The Dogs selected Bontempelli, this season’s best player, at No.4.

And, in 2014, the Saints opted for Paddy McCartin at No. 1, now delisted and fighting to resurrect his AFL career, and passed on Petracca (No. 2).

For St Kilda, it’s the Curse of the Next Pick.

Next Pick Curse

2013

3. Jack Billings (St Kilda)

4. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)

2014

1. Paddy McCartin (St Kilda)

2. Christian Petracca (Melbourne)

2017

7. Hunter Clark (St Kilda)

8. Nick Coffield (St Kilda)

9. Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)

Naughton shares top billing for contested marks taken this year (40) with Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn.

He is No. 1 for contested marks inside 50.

His goal kicking is at the league average in two of the past three seasons and, in 2020, he kicked a very accurate 15.7, well above the league average.

Kernahan said contested marking key forwards were rolled gold.

“If you can get two of them, it’s even better,’’ he said.

“Josh Bruce is a good foil for him, really. You just go into them, don’t you?

“Look at (Tom) Lynch and (Jack) Riewoldt, they haven’t worried about how they’ve put it in to those two blokes.

“They try to put it to advantage as best they can, but they go in with a lot more surety, instead of working your way forward, crisscrossing and switching.

“The Bulldogs have got seven or eight midfielders and they deliver it well. It’s hard to beat them. I like them a lot, the Bulldogs.’’

Kernahan, who had minor flaws with his goal kicking throughout his Hall-of-Fame career, is not fazed about Naughton’s goal kicking.

“I’m not worried about his kicking,’’ he said.

“Once you get it, you’re a chance and if he’s kicking at the league average you can only get better.

“As long as he takes pack marks and they go in as many times as they do, he’s going to kick a lot of goals.”

[comrade]

Thank you Saints.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That is not pretty reading for Saints fans. For us, it's glorious.

[Mantis]

How good's the Hunter block!

I made mention of it in my ‘The Love’ thread.

When watching a highlight of the clip I couldn’t work out why Barrass was on his bum and only on replay did I see the work that Hunter did. Nothing on the stat sheet, but that team oriented play is the stuff the coaches would be highlighting.

[1eyedog]

Is there any way possible that we could be seeing the first and second best Bulldog players of any era playing in the same team and when it is all done and dusted will Bont have some competition as the best Bulldog of all time?

Naughton is a freak! An absolute freak.

[Bulldog Joe]

Is there any way possible that we could be seeing the first and second best Bulldog players of any era playing in the same team and when it is all done and dusted will Bont have some competition as the best Bulldog of all time?

Naughton is a freak! An absolute freak.

I have been saying this to my friends for quite a while now.

[Topdog]

“It was outstanding to watch, bloody hell he’s good.’’


I say this every week Sticks.

[macca]

Its easy to look in hindsight, but I wonder if saints really did due diligence in top 10 , to take the best available at the time?

Interesting they took 2 halfback flankers in Coffield and Hunter. Time will tell if they are good enough to have major impact in the midfield.

Doggies did it internally by trying players to play on halfback already on the list.

[MrMahatma]

Its easy to look in hindsight, but I wonder if saints really did due diligence in top 10 , to take the best available at the time?

Interesting they took 2 halfback flankers in Coffield and Hunter. Time will tell if they are good enough to have major impact in the midfield.


Doggies did it internally by trying players to play on halfback already on the list.

Read the “Marcus Bontempelli” thread. Lots of people didn’t want him with pick 4.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Its easy to look in hindsight, but I wonder if saints really did due diligence in top 10 , to take the best available at the time?

Interesting they took 2 halfback flankers in Coffield and Hunter. Time will tell if they are good enough to have major impact in the midfield.


Doggies did it internally by trying players to play on halfback already on the list.

Yeah. I wanted Billings in 2013. And I remember not being thrilled with Naughts selection. Thought it was a vanilla selection. Boy I was wrong.

[EasternWest]

Read the “Marcus Bontempelli” thread. Lots of people didn’t want him with pick 4.

Idiots.

*can't remember if I was one of them, but my rose coloured glasses say I wasn't, so they're definitely idiots.

[1eyedog]

Idiots.

*can't remember if I was one of them, but my rose coloured glasses say I wasn't, so they're definitely idiots.

I definitely wanted Scharenberg at the time and saw Marcus as more a long-term athletic type. The slight on Marcus was that he was going to take some time, and Scharenberg was touted as ready made and I wanted the short term return option.

Well, Bont was ready pretty much immediately and Scharenberg went straight to the Pies injury list.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I admit I was keen on Billings, and was pissed Saints took him ahead of our pick. Did not take very long once Bont was unveiled that I was pretty thankful for the Saints stupidity.
Was also not a fan of us picking Naughton at the time.
They're dead set guns, and I'm know nothing flog.

[bornadog]

I definitely wanted Scharenberg at the time and saw Marcus as more a long-term athletic type. The slight on Marcus was that he was going to take some time, and Scharenberg was touted as ready made and I wanted the short term return option.

Well, Bont was ready pretty much immediately and Scharenberg went straight to the Pies injury list.

Yeah, I was keen on Scharenberg as well.

[Twodogs]

James Aish had some fans as a ready to go type too from memory.

[jeemak]

I definitely wanted Scharenberg at the time and saw Marcus as more a long-term athletic type. The slight on Marcus was that he was going to take some time, and Scharenberg was touted as ready made and I wanted the short term return option.

Well, Bont was ready pretty much immediately and Scharenberg went straight to the Pies injury list.

The other slight was pace. Just look at him be a predator for the footy and you realise pace is one thing, intent and positioning to get the footy is the other.

I wanted Billings, and would definitely still have him if he was available. We could do wonders with that lad in our system.

[macca]

The other slight was pace. Just look at him be a predator for the footy and you realise pace is one thing, intent and positioning to get the footy is the other.

I wanted Billings, and would definitely still have him if he was available. We could do wonders with that lad in our system.

Maybe Josh Bruce can whisper in his ear "do you want to play finals? Possibly even a GF next year ....? "

Not sure where we can fit him in though if our list stays injury free.

[azabob]

James Aish had some fans as a ready to go type too from memory.

Is this the closet you have come to admitting on woof you were wrong?

[azabob]

The other slight was pace. Just look at him be a predator for the footy and you realise pace is one thing, intent and positioning to get the footy is the other.

I wanted Billings, and would definitely still have him if he was available. We could do wonders with that lad in our system.

Is Billings a poor mans Hunter?

[1eyedog]

Maybe Josh Bruce can whisper in his ear "do you want to play finals? Possibly even a GF next year ....? "

Not sure where we can fit him in though if our list stays injury free.

I'd play Billings as a permanent half forward. We ned that type of creativity in the forward half, but he's also vey adept further up the ground.

Billings and Hunter is an interesting comparison because while they're vastly different players St.Kilda have used Billings extensively on a wing. Billings is a better one on one player with a better sense for goal and Hunter is a gut running natural wingman who outruns his opponents to generate space. Billings has x-factor and pace, Hunter has smarts. Different types playing similar roles in their respective teams.

[1eyedog]

James Aish had some fans as a ready to go type too from memory.

Yeah he'd played a season or two in the SANFL if I remember correctly. Reached his ceiling very early.

[Mofra]

Yeah. I wanted Billings in 2013. And I remember not being thrilled with Naughts selection. Thought it was a vanilla selection. Boy I was wrong.
IIRC There was a standout 3 players, and Bontempelli was a late bolter after Aish and Scharenberg were in the frame for pick four.
Buckanara aside (who said he had him at pick 1), only Collingwood had him in the top 10.

A lot of the talk here was how could we trade up to pick 1 to get Tom Boyd! If we didn't trade so heavily for Boyd the Saints probably take Petracca instead of McCartin - we spooked them by making the market for KPFs momentarily boom.

I think the article above is a bit unfair calling Hunter Clark a flanker - he was projected to be a mid at AFL level, just like a HFFer we took (Macrae).

[Bulldog4life]

Thank you Saints.

Makes a beautiful read.

[comrade]

Makes a beautiful read.

If they took Bont instead of Billings, we'd still be waiting for flag #2. Letting us take Naughton is just gravy.

I wish we could take the direct pick after the Saints every year.

[Twodogs]

Is this the closet you have come to admitting on woof you were wrong?

I'm happy to admit I'm wrong. It just hasn't happened yet.

[Insufficient Intent]

Is this the closet you have come to admitting on woof you were wrong?


I'm happy to admit I'm wrong. It just hasn't happened yet.

Does that make you in our out of the closet, Twodogs? :confused:

[Twodogs]

Does that make you in our out of the closet, Twodogs? :confused:

A bit from column A...

[bornadog]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E5QNHpEVgAQOnEv?format=jpg&name=large

[AshMac]

He’s still strangely gettable one-on-one. May and Weitering have more or less blanketed him by keeping body contact with him, and even Henry had some success when accommodated by less than friendly delivery.

I think that we’re getting better at putting the ball in the space in front of Naughton rather than on his head though, which is what we should do every entry. It doesn’t really matter how the defenders are set up in front of him because if he gets any room to run and jump 95% of the time he will catch it.

i think you're spot on. He isnt a contested beast like hawkins in a standing 1 on 1 but cant think of a player i'd prefer to get a run at it

He's also added serious bulk this year, so good to see him so mobile still.

[Testekill]

As long as we can kick it into space then Naughton is unbeatable. Put it onto his head or under a high ball then he's gettable. As long as we kick smart then he'll tear games apart

[1eyedog]

i think you're spot on. He isnt a contested beast like hawkins in a standing 1 on 1 but cant think of a player i'd prefer to get a run at it

He's also added serious bulk this year, so good to see him so mobile still.

Agreed strong one on one players like May and Weitering have shown that type of player can nullify him. He needs space to use his athletic ability. He's super quick over 10m.