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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.”