Naughton to Fullback, English Full forward

[jazzadogs]

Stats insider has a great shot charting tool link

Naughton is going at 59% from 77 set shots. He is around 2 goals less accurate than an average footballer taking shots from the same positions since 2018.

[comrade]

Stats insider has a great shot charting tool link

Naughton is going at 59% from 77 set shots. He is around 2 goals less accurate than an average footballer taking shots from the same positions since 2018.

Yeah I looked at that. Looks like Naughts has been very accurate within 25m (70%+) and has kicked a fair portion of his goals at that range, but his technique breaks down a bit as he gets further out (30-40%).

[Go_Dogs]

Naughton should stay forward - our most likely player and the one who will cause headaches consistently for opposition sides. Also like English spending more time forward - smart on the lead and marking the ball at its peak.

[ledge]

I’m thinking Bont spends more time forward and with JUH, Bruce , schache , I’m sure we can rotate them to best fit against the opposition backs .
I still think Schache has potential, he had one game where he teamed up well with Bruce.
I love Naughton forward but watching his attributes and his run down of players he could be an even better CHB the way he reads the ball.

[DOG GOD]

For mine, Naughton plays back. Sorry if I’m in the minority, but to me he just doesn’t do enough, or involved enough at FF. Yes, he might have the odd game where he’ll pull down 6 contested and kick 4, but he has also shown games of very limited possession. Also, every set shot is heart in mouth stuff. I think he can also use his marking attributes at CHB. He will solidify that back half, and be more involved for longer periods.

[SquirrelGrip]

Naught on provides such an X-Factor up forward that he has to stay there. Sure there might be times to swing him back to save games or be loose in Defence but he is one of the most dynamic forwards in the league.

I may be Robinson Caruso but I think we can see continued improvement from Ryan Gardner to be our lockdown defensive tall. I don’t care if he gets a kick as long as he stops his opponents. His has height, athleticism and if he can follow instructions. Yes, he was slaughtered by Hipwood (and others) but so was Dale Morris at times in his career but learnt from it. If he can become the thinking man’s defender, it adds so much value to our team. We have plenty of others around hike to assist with intercepts (Keats, Wood, Crozier, Corey, even English when in the ruck), skillful line breakers who are dangerous with ball in hand (Daniel, JJ, Williams, Duryea, even Richards if ever played there). Gardner with a big fist and to hand pass to our line breakers could be the missing link. A Dale Morris-light, if you will.

[bornadog]

It's been a great discussion so far and a real dilemma for the match committee on what they do in 2021 for the key backs.

On a personal note (Yes Jeemak), I prefer to keep Naughton at Full forward. Full forwards like him come once in a generation and he really looks the goods. He needs to learn more of the craft as his running patterns are not great, plus he is constantly trying to take the screamer, when he should be leading out and finding some space.

I am hoping Gardner or Lewis Young really improve next year,especially Lew as we gave him the number 2 for a reason - he showed some great potential in year one, but hasn't improved alot since.

[Twodogs]

I will never understand why anyone would think moving the most dynamic forward I have seen playing for Footscray in 35+ years into defence. I simply don't get it.

Stick your match-winners in the forward half. He's probably played < 30 senior games forward...and has had a couple when he has looked simply unstoppable. U-N-S-T-O-P-P-A-B-L-E.

Kick it to Aaron and get the hell out of the way should be the basis of our game plan.

Yep. Long bombs to Naughts.

[Ghost Dog]

Yep. Long bombs to Naughts.

Ah yes. I am going to watch the Astronaught bags against Richmond right now.
He is really the most dynamic forward we have had since Chris Grant ( apologies to Barry Hall, who shouldn't be overlooked. Improved our side significantly ).

[Danjul]

Yep. Long bombs to Naughts.

I was hoping that we had seen the last of the long bombs into the forward line.

Look at the elimination final- over 50 inside 50s for 9 goals (many from free kicks).

Numerous times this year we were beaten by inferior players who used foot skills to make a better team.

This part of our game strategy has been an unmitigated disaster.

[jeemak]

I was hoping that we had seen the last of the long bombs into the forward line.

Look at the elimination final- over 50 inside 50s for 9 goals (many from free kicks).

Numerous times this year we were beaten by inferior players who used foot skills to make a better team.

This part of our game strategy has been an unmitigated disaster.

Even though it's not part of our game strategy and we rank high for marks inside fifty?

[Twodogs]

Ah yes. I am going to watch the Astronaught bags against Richmond right now.
He is really the most dynamic forward we have had since Chris Grant ( apologies to Barry Hall, who shouldn't be overlooked. Improved our side significantly ).

It would have been handy getting Barry a couple of years earlier. At least one of the preliminary finals over the 2008-10 period may have turned out differently.

I was hoping that we had seen the last of the long bombs into the forward line.

Look at the elimination final- over 50 inside 50s for 9 goals (many from free kicks).

Numerous times this year we were beaten by inferior players who used foot skills to make a better team.

This part of our game strategy has been an unmitigated disaster.

There's long bombs and long bombs though. There's the get out option where the ball carrier is under pressure or has no hit up option so just unloads into space in the forward 50 and then there's the long bomb to your teammate's advantage when you sit it on his head and let the defender worry about being outmarked or give the free away for chopping the arms of pushing his opponent out of the contest.

If we have a tall like Naughton and a teammate like Bruce who is happy to help make space and take defenders wide with constant leads for him then the long bomb to advantage is a good option for us.

[Axe Man]

I think a pertinent question to ask ourselves in this debate is when the huddle breaks up prior to the first bounce and the players jog to their positions, where would the opposition hope Naughts jogs to? I reckon they would breathe a sigh of relief if he headed to the backline.

[Danjul]

Even though it's not part of our game strategy and we rank high for marks inside fifty?

In the elimination final Wallis took 1 mark, Bruce took 1 ( and if I remember correctly it was on the backline). Naughton had 1 possession in the first 3 quarters. Players who are in the team to kick goals.

50 entries - only 9 goals.
Long bombs didn’t work and cost us an important win.

Against Carlton over 50 entries got only 7 goals, and 2 were by Vander

Taking marks against bottom sides doesn’t mean much, and many of the marks (Hunter, for example, led to kicks which failed to make the distance).

we need far greater precision with our forward entries next year so we can defeat top sides.

[bornadog]

we need far greater precision with our forward entries next year so we can defeat top sides.

This is not one of our issues, as we are ranked in top 3 for marks inside 50. The issue is converting them to goals.