He's going to win people over quickly. There are some rough spots in his game but once he gets on top of them we potentially have our next Brian Lake.
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He's going to win people over quickly. There are some rough spots in his game but once he gets on top of them we potentially have our next Brian Lake.
Welcome to the Kennel Aaron.
Lloyd's still a rolled gold knob but oof, that kicking action.
Priority one has to be eliminating that indiscriminate roost from his repertoire.
It's no worse than Josh Dunkley's dad.
The selection of Naughton says something about Collins, Young, Cordy and Roberts.
Luke Penny was a number ten pick I think so nearly 20 years ago.
I think it just says that we went for best available. His presence on the list may have implications at the end of the season if we decide we have a glut of tall defenders but there's a whole season to go and Collins, Young, Cordy and Roberts might play in different parts of the ground and tie for the Brownlow next season the way things turn out.
Anyway I like Naughton's intercept marking. For a KPP it's excellent. It looks like it might be a good thing we missed out on Lever. He might have just been keeping Aaron out of the side.
I think it says something about Morris and Roberts, yes, and Collins maybe. But, we expect a ridiculous amount of output from draftees these days, perhaps because of our effort the two years prior to 2017, and I think Collins is a victim of that. If Collins doesn't take a reasonable step forward this coming year I'll start to be concerned, I'm not expecting him to really flourish until the year after if he ever does.
Naughton looks to be a genuinely built and talented marking defender, who may have a couple of cm's of growth in him yet. Happy with the selection even though it's clear his kicking needs some work. What I do like about his kicking is that it seems proactive, I hope we don't coach that out of him rather than improving his technique as a priority.
Watching 3 minutes of highlights, Naughton seems to be a very good judge of the ball in the air. That's not too common.
I like that.
Very happy with this selection. The kid averaged 14 disposals and 7 marks in the WAFL as a 17 year old kid. Massive upside and looks so much like Lever except might even be more athletic and determined to succeed.
He appears to be a bit more physical in his play than Lever but Lever is the better kick. Both are excellent readers of the play backed up by their intercept marking abilities.
It's a good point you raise, he doesn't turn 18 until next week and yet he has already played some senior football. This will be a great base to build from.
At the combine his running vertical jump was in the top 10% at 86cm. He was about mid range for the 3 sprint tests which is good for a 194cm player and his agility and yo-yo tests were very good as well which to me highlights that he can be very competitive when the ball hits the ground. His kicking was the only issue with his testing.
If you are looking for a comparison from a couple of years ago, he is pretty much exactly like Guy mcKenna.
Going to play a big part in our team for a very long time.
The West Australian (newspaper)
Defender Aaron Naughton is already targeting a round-one debut after being snapped up by the Western Bulldogs with their first-round pick last night.
Naughton, 18 next week, was the first of 15 WA players taken, at pick nine.
It was the second straight year the Bulldogs used their first pick on a WA product and Naughton was thrilled to be linking up with former State teammate Tim English at the Whitten Oval.
Naughton played seven senior games with Peel this year before being squeezed out of the league side when a host of Fremantle players came flooding back to the aligned club for the finals.
But he felt that taste of senior football and playing under an AFL-like system at Peel had prepared him for an early debut. He has his eyes on the round one clash with Greater Western Sydney in March, but knows he has plenty of work to do.
“I’ve got a big pre-season ahead and hopefully those senior games will put me in good stead to put my hand up for round one,” Naughton said. “I had a big off-season in the gym last year and put on a bit of size. There’s still a bit of size to go, but I’m confident in my body.”
Naughton was in the MCG grandstand to witness the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking 2016 premiership after playing in a curtain-raiser.
“Hopefully they’re back up there and if I can play a part of it then it will be even better,” he said. “I played with Tim (English) last year and we get along really well. “We’re the same sort of personality, so I’m really happy to be there with him. “It always helps knowing someone that’s there already and I know all the boys will be really welcoming.
“My aunty lives out at Warrnambool and she’s a big Doggies fan, so I think she’ll be over the moon.”
Naughton’s fellow under-age All-Australian Oscar Allen was granted his wish when selected by the side he grew up supporting.
Thanks choc you are right up there on WOOF providing us with all the media type stuff.