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Not worried, he was really good last year before the injury. Take Champion Data for what it's worth but he was the #1 ranked Key forward in the comp first half of the year. He is coming off an injury and Glandular fever which can really knock you around, plus not ideal conditions for a key forward in 3 quarters of footy. If he still looks off after round 3-4, i'll join you in worrying a bit.
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I'm also slightly concerned. What's happened to his trademark launching at the footy?
Has he bulked up to much? Has it been coached out of him due to potential injury to not only himself, but team-mates?
YouTube his highlights from that Richmond game back in 2019 at Marvel. When's the last time we have seen him move that freely and launch at the footy like that?
He only took 21 contested marks last year (20 games) By comparison he took 65 in 2021 (25), 42 in 2022 (22) and 41 in 2023 (23). He even took 20 in 2020 when only playing 12 shortened games.
I understand defenders are playing him smarter and he offers things in other areas, particularly his pressure and ability to play as a link man. But this is his one wood and we need him back launching at the footy.
His tackling numbers were also down from 59 in 2023, to just 21 last year.
Praying he can have an uninterrupted year from now on and get back to that form he displayed early last year.Comment
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Naughton before injury last year was rated number 1 forward in the comp. Coming off a limited pre season in a practise game that meant nothing I think you can take literally zero out of it. The Naughton you see round 1 will be completely different than the player yesterday. Refer to Justin Longmuir comments yesterday, freo didn't show everything and so they shouldn't.Comment
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For his 'run, hassle and launch game' he needs two good knees. May take some time to sort his body out especially with the glandular fever.Comment
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These are really good questions and stats to back up their asking.
A mix of Darcy having a breakout season with 21 games and JUH commanding a lot of the football will account for some of the contested marking opportunities not going Naughton's way. Playing up the ground and getting into open space to receive the ball would as well. That's without considering his physical limitations post injury.
The tackling stats are a bit alarming though. If he's not up for marks, what's he doing? Getting up the ground and running back means he's out of the play if ignored, so he doesn't get the opportunity to hunt the player as he might have up forward if a pack mark hits the deck. However, up the ground he has plenty of players around him to hunt as well as it's not like he's an outlet player who gets left alone fat side (is fat side still a term in 2025?).
His progress over the next few weeks will be crucial. He won't have JUH to compete with volume of delivery, and it might be that in lieu of JUH being out for a period he's going to play deep again. If he can get his fitness to the level required within the first couple of rounds we might see him return to some of the numbers listed above.TF is this?.........Obviously you're not a golfer.Comment
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I'm not worried about Naughton in regards to ability or form. My concern more to do with his fitness. With the season proper getting closer and the availability and lack of a pre-season of JUH, we will be relying on Naughts and Darcy as our focal points. Which is perfectly fine, plenty of great forward lines have had only 2 key forwards anyway. But if Naughton is under done it puts a hell of a lot of pressure on Darcy who just had a breakout year after an awkward start to his footy career with weird and unlucky injuries. That is definitely something to be wary of.
When fit and up and going, Naughton is good for at least 2 goals a game, which that would will bring his season tally to around 50 goals if he doesn't miss games. But is that the enough without 40 from JUH?
With Darcy coming on sooner than we probably expected last year I'd say there would have been tweaks to the forward structure a bit having Darcy as the primary marking target where that used to be Naughton. And that coupled with the knee injury last year his stats were definitely down or maybe just different from what we expect from him.
Now with the uncertainty surrounding JUH and the possibility of say a Davidson or Haynes filling a forward role in JUH's absence, Naughton's role is likely to change again. But that's the role of a modern day forward really. And with his big contract and coin he is expected to up to the task.
So all in all I'm not worried...yet.They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
Brian Fantana.Comment
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I think somehow Naughton has become underrated...people are carrying on like he isn't one of the more consistent effort players on the teamComment
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He's becoming an "uphill skiier" in that he does the tough stuff, but rarely gets the chance to do the easy stuff. His kms covered was waaaaaay up last year IIRC - do we try and dial that down and get him playing closer to goal at times, especially if/when Darcy chops out in the ruck?Western Bulldogs: 2016 PremiersComment
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It's a bad habit to get into and he also seems to think he can break every tackle so he's getting caught with the ball.
From a coaching perspective what do you think the club might be doing to get this addressed?
Going for repeated pack marks in windy and wet conditions is a low % option. I'd hope Spangher can sort him out.Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Looked well short of a run yesterday.
Those stats are a little concerning. I'm more worried about his body / fitness, and perhaps the stats indicate it's been troubling him for a while.
He certainly isn't as explosive at launching at the footy and hasn't been for a few years.W00F!Comment
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His first half 2024 was really good IIRC. After injury I think he was hampered, let’s hope it’s temporary.
I do wonder, in interest of longevity of career, whether coaches asked him to dial down a notch those air Naughton launches.
His efforts when he doesn’t have ball for a player of any size, but particularly noteworthy in big lads, is IMO second to none. He has sacrificed some glam by playing further upfield for sake of the team and I think he has done it well. Plus I think his goal kicking improved in 2024.
Having said all this I think he has it in him to improve further eg. having more good games against top opposition, I recall some defenders such as De Koening for Cats and May for Dees seem to, by & large, successfully blanketing him.Josie :)
Our day will come
And we'll have everything.
We'll share the joy
Just like '54 again.Comment
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