The experiment that prepared the 'AstroNaught’ for lift-off

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IT WAS a two-week experiment which stuck in Luke Beveridge's mind.
In the middle of Aaron Naughton's first season at the Western Bulldogs in 2018, the premiership coach sent his emerging key defender for a short stint in attack.

Naughton's two-goal round 14 performance against the Kangaroos was solid, but the next week he gathered only seven touches against Geelong and was held goalless. He thought his time in attack was done.
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Aaron Naughton was simply unstoppable, producing a wealth of strong marks and kicks in a wonderful six-goal performance

"I didn't get near it, so there wasn't too much of a discussion after that and I settled back into the backline," Naughton told AFL.com.au this week.

But something had caught Beveridge's eye. Now, it's the masterstroke which has seen Naughton become one of the game's best key forwards – a game-changing, pack-splitting, mark-grabbing match-winner at just 20 years old.

Last week's haul of six goals in the Bulldogs' thumping win over the Crows was a career-high for Naughton, who was drafted to the club with pick No.9 in 2017 as a key defender.

But it was that glimpse in his debut season that led to the Dogs' positional switch, and then to one of the game's best monikers – the 'AstroNaught' for his high-flying feats.
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"It was a bit of a shock when 'Bevo' first put me forward. Coming into the next pre-season I trained as a defender the whole time and played the first Marsh Community Series game as a defender, and then during that week 'Bevo' asked me to come and have a meeting," Naughton remembered.

"He spoke me through it and said 'Are you willing to play forward? I think that's what we need for the team' and I was obviously happy to. Ever since then I haven't looked back, and that's where I play now."

Playing forward permanently had never been Naughton's go, even as a junior. Sometimes he would drift there as the contest wore on, but he would always start games at centre-half back.

Last year – and one game in particular – changed that. Naughton booted 32 goals from 23 games for the Dogs and led their goalkicking, with his five-goal and 14-mark game against Richmond in round seven wowing the football world.
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As he manhandled and jumped all over the eventual premiers' defence, Naughton announced himself. Along with it came a new level of hype.

"You probably do get a lot more recognised as a forward than as a defender," he said.
"I noticed that last year as soon as I swung up forward, there was a lot more talk about you and a few more people know who you are.

"But I'm all comfortable with that, I just focus on playing my game and my role for the team in creating contests up forward and bringing everyone else into the game."

That attention came at schools and NAB AFL Auskick clinics, too, where the 'AstroNaught' tag took flight.
"It's not the worst nickname. To have all the little kids run around and call you that is not too bad," Naughton said.
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But Naughton has been grounded more than he – and the Bulldogs – would have hoped this season.

Following his knee injury in last year's elimination final loss to Greater Western Sydney, Naughton was booked in for surgery on his opposite knee in February to clean up loose cartilage.

Naughton made it back in time for the Bulldogs' round one shocker against Collingwood, before the COVID-19 shutdown of the competition gave him more rest time.

He played in the Dogs' next three games when the season resumed before suffering a syndesmosis injury to his ankle against Sydney in round four. That made for a seven-week layoff as he worked alongside fellow syndesmosis sufferers Josh Dunkley and Lin Jong at the Dogs.

He required surgery – the others didn't – which made for some tougher earlier days while recovering.

"I had it elevated for the first week and then from there you can get your foot out of the little cast and from there you start to weight bear," he said.

"It was painful at the start but you get it back pretty quickly. It's amazing, you go from sitting up in bed with your leg in the air all day icing to, a week later, weight-bearing on crutches, then a week later ditching the crutches. It does come along pretty quickly."
So, too, did recapturing his form.

After a quiet return in the Dogs' defeat to Brisbane, Naughton burst out of the blocks with goals from his first six kicks to demolish the Crows.

Naughton credited the Bulldogs' midfield for his bag of goals. But with his marking power, intensity at ground level and defensive work also lifting a notch, he also made things happen.

As Melbourne prepares to stop the Bulldogs in Saturday's important clash for a top-eight spot, quelling Naughton looms as one of the Demons' toughest tasks.

"Obviously marking is one of my strengths and it is something that I'll always be confident and able to do, but it's more those defensive actions that I focus on. If I know I'm doing them well, I know I'll be having a decent day," he said.

"It's the most goals I've kicked in a game so that's something that is a good result out of it, but I think there's plenty of more opportunities to come. Hopefully over the years I'll be able to kick a few more goals, so that's something to look forward to."

Great, last thing we need is for Naughton to not touch it today. Thanks a lot AFL media.

I demand this article is taken down off all platforms and the jurno stood down.

I look forward to watching this bloke every game.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

I look forward to watching this bloke every game.

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Agreed. He has a touch of a dominating KT about him. An air of expectation on the long ball into the forward line and ain't that a nice thing for a Bulldog's supporter!

Of course he will have quiet days , football is a complicated game , if the oppostion focus on him it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t get a kick as it allows others to kick goals and as long as we can change our game plan to look for others eg seems like it’s Mitch Wallis at the moment it’s working.
I think Bruce gets a bit of the rough end of the stick from supporters too as he might not be kicking goals or getting much of it but he is certainly hitting hard and making the opposition worry.
All three players will have quiet and good days depending on who the opposition target as number one priority.
I see it as as long as one is kicking goals the others are doing their job.

I thought some of the things Naughty did yesterday were great, he certainly created a few goals. May played him well, but when the ball hit the ground, Naughty was right in there. He will be a star.

Thought he was quiet yesterday
Had an experienced and good opponent
We’re going to have to endure some ups and downs as he’s a young key forward
Bruce worries me greatly

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Originally Posted by Remi Moses

Thought he was quiet yesterday
Had an experienced and good opponent
We’re going to have to endure some ups and downs as he’s a young key forward
Bruce worries me greatly

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Yes more quieter on Saturday but has really been great up forward. Bruce needs to get into. Only the North game was a really good one booting 6. Naughton and Wallis greater than Bruce so far in the forward line although Bruce after half time looked better.

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Originally Posted by ledge

I think Bruce gets a bit of the rough end of the stick from supporters too as he might not be kicking goals or getting much of it but he is certainly hitting hard and making the opposition worry.

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Don’t agree with this completely.

He is copping a lot of dislike and not sure all of it is warranted yet, but I’m not seeing him working hard enough.

Yes I want him taking contested marks and kicking goals but don’t expect it every week. What I do expect is for him to go in hard, provide second efforts and put pressure on their defenders when he doesn’t have the ball. To me he looks completely disinterested unless he is leaping for a mark.

He also looks slow and like he came back from the isobreak massively out of shape.

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Originally Posted by AshMac

Don’t agree with this completely.

He is copping a lot of dislike and not sure all of it is warranted yet, but I’m not seeing him working hard enough.

Yes I want him taking contested marks and kicking goals but don’t expect it every week. What I do expect is for him to go in hard, provide second efforts and put pressure on their defenders when he doesn’t have the ball. To me he looks completely disinterested unless he is leaping for a mark.

He also looks slow and like he came back from the isobreak massively out of shape.

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If Schache had the same season to date i wonder how we'd rate it?

The 6 goal game complicates things, but aside from that he has barely taken a mark, contributed nothing (possibly in the actual literal sense of the word) in general play, offered little pressure and has been at best an ok spoiler in our attacking 50. Only the 6 goal game and a half in the ruck where he was competitive but not influential have been even passable.