Strategy Aaron Naughton - Key Defender or Key Forward?

[1961grandfinal]

Playing him as a deep forward allows all this holding and blocking at nearly every forward move. Wonder if the mc would play him higher up the ground, even between the arcs. He could be the outlet at some kick ins and we have all seen what a fantastic, mobile player he is when he gets a run at the ball.

 

[dogwatch]

Playing him as a deep forward allows all this holding and blocking at nearly every forward move. Wonder if the mc would play him higher up the ground, even between the arcs. He could be the outlet at some kick ins and we have all seen what a fantastic, mobile player he is when he gets a run at the ball.

This is the constant quandary with Naughton. He's so good you can play him anywhere. Why, he's even shown he can play ruck with some success.

Our problem is that if you take Naughton out we have nobody capable of a CM in the F50. Schache hasn't yet convinced me he can do that regularly although he's been able to take the occasional lead-out mark or an UM when his man has dropped off.

When our midfield is on top (most of the time but not last Sunday) we have little trouble getting the ball i50. The problem is the last kick and the target. Naughton has fluffed quite a few i50 kicks in recent weeks.

I don't mind the occasional foray up to the wing but if we must play him forward I think we'll get better value playing him fairly deep. (At least that's what people keep telling me. )

 

[Mofra]

It's not like playing him forward will hurt him as a key back if he does make the shift down there - he's getting the best education possible from the no 1 KPD every week.

Right now Trengove is beating his direct opponent most weeks and Naughton is leading and competing in the air, performing as well as any 19 year old in the competition (certainly among KPFs).

I suspect how we fare at trade time will decide where Naughton plays his football in 2020 but it is generally easier to find a KPD than it is to find a KPF.

 

[DognBones]

I suspect how we fare at trade time will decide where Naughton plays his football in 2020 but it is generally easier to find a KPD than it is to find a KPF.

God, I hope you're right because things are getting desperate in our KPD situation.

 

[Dogsman16]

Not that we should be complaining about frees (our mids get stacks) but Ben Brown 32 frees to Aaron Naughton 17.

Bout 10 goals difference right there. Would be nice if our key forwards got the same treatment as Brown.

 

[DognBones]

If we are to perservere with Naughton forward then I agree with TMoney22 above regarding his position. It seems a no-brainer to me that he should be playing CHF not FF. Naughton gives the strong indication that he would be more suited to roaming around the half-forward to centre line and taking marks by leading or beating an opponent one on one which is more difficult in deep territory. This is the perfect time to give him a run of games in this position. Try it Bev!

 

[dogwatch]

If we are to perservere with Naughton forward then I agree with TMoney22 above regarding his position. It seems a no-brainer to me that he should be playing CHF not FF. Naughton gives the strong indication that he would be more suited to roaming around the half-forward to centre line and taking marks by leading or beating an opponent one on one which is more difficult in deep territory. This is the perfect time to give him a run of games in this position. Try it Bev!

No. This doesn't make practical sense to me. Although I agree he could get into the game more if he roams out there.

We have no problem getting possession in that part of the ground. Our problem is taking marks close to goal when it's congested. So for me, if he must play forward, he plays where he can take a grab and kick a goal from the set shot - or else he draws away the spoiling opponents so someone else can take the grab, like Gowers or Schache. This is his point of difference and what makes him so dangerous. He has the ability to come right over the top of the pack when it would normally be punched to the boundary line. He also has the ability to outbody reasonable sized defenders if it's one-on-one.

Also I've seen him take some poor options and/or poor execution when he has delivered from outside 50 in recent games. We already have plenty of players who can do that. He needs to be the target not the deliverer.

If the plan is to play him centre-side of the arc we'd be better pushing him all the way into defence. CHB or deep, I don't care.

Or to put it another way, if he plays forward he must play deep forward with only the occasional foray outside 50.

 

[DognBones]

No. This doesn't make practical sense to me. Although I agree he could get into the game more if he roams out there.

We have no problem getting possession in that part of the ground. Our problem is taking marks close to goal when it's congested. So for me, if he must play forward, he plays where he can take a grab and kick a goal from the set shot - or else he draws away the spoiling opponents so someone else can take the grab, like Gowers or Schache. This is his point of difference and what makes him so dangerous. He has the ability to come right over the top of the pack when it would normally be punched to the boundary line. He also has the ability to outbody reasonable sized defenders if it's one-on-one.

Also I've seen him take some poor options and/or poor execution when he has delivered from outside 50 in recent games. We already have plenty of players who can do that. He needs to be the target not the deliverer.

If the plan is to play him centre-side of the arc we'd be better pushing him all the way into defence. CHB or deep, I don't care.

Or to put it another way, if he plays forward he must play deep forward with only the occasional foray outside 50.

Always welcome a diversity of opinions.

 

[stefoid]

Naughton at FF and Schache as CHF makes perfect sense given their strengths, but Naughton at CHF is bloody great!

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

 

[mcgleereturns]

While I’d still love him in defence, today showed what he could be as a CHF. He’s more than a mark and kick guy. Some of his ground work today was brilliant. His quiet games are when he’s locked in the goal square getting double teamed and crowded. Doesn’t have enough practised forward craft to deal with that yet. But when he roams outside 50 and uses his agility and speed plus his marking, he’s hard to beat.

Next year, with a full preseason under his belt learning about what being a forward actually looks like AND a preseason understanding the mechanics of set shot goal kicking, he could grow exponentially as a forward. Cameron, Darling, Templeton (82 goals as a 19 yo),Chris Grant played their formative years as forwards so were more consistent in their early years as forwards. Aaron grew up as a backman but has shown how good he could be as a forward, with only one practice game to prepare for a season as our main target. Looking forward to him learning the craft. Can’t see the club going back on this decision.


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[stefoid]

I guess schache can stand under the high ball just as ineffectively as naughton.

 

[Mofra]

I guess schache can stand under the high ball just as ineffectively as naughton.

We kick it terribly to Astro sometimes.

he showed midfielder-like lateral movement on the ground multiple times yesterday. Not just that goal off the deck, but a few baulks as well.

 

[King Harold]

No. This doesn't make practical sense to me. Although I agree he could get into the game more if he roams out there.

We have no problem getting possession in that part of the ground. Our problem is taking marks close to goal when it's congested. So for me, if he must play forward, he plays where he can take a grab and kick a goal from the set shot - or else he draws away the spoiling opponents so someone else can take the grab, like Gowers or Schache. This is his point of difference and what makes him so dangerous. He has the ability to come right over the top of the pack when it would normally be punched to the boundary line. He also has the ability to outbody reasonable sized defenders if it's one-on-one.

Also I've seen him take some poor options and/or poor execution when he has delivered from outside 50 in recent games. We already have plenty of players who can do that. He needs to be the target not the deliverer.

If the plan is to play him centre-side of the arc we'd be better pushing him all the way into defence. CHB or deep, I don't care.

Or to put it another way, if he plays forward he must play deep forward with only the occasional foray outside 50.

I'm with TMoney on this one DW.
Looks a gun CHF in the making.

 

[dogwatch]

I'm with TMoney on this one DW.
Looks a gun CHF in the making.

See my post last night in the match review thread. He showed us something new yesterday.

 

[King Harold]

See my post last night in the match review thread. He showed us something new yesterday.

Just went back and read it dw - sorry mate !
But at least 2 great minds think alike

 

[TiAn_]

We have Essendon this week and Joe is in the news so I thought I’d put this here.

 

[dogwatch]

We have Essendon this week and Joe is in the news so I thought I’d put this here.

View attachment 721060View attachment 721056

So?

I did the same thing with Alex Rance and Harris Andrews and he compared well with them too. They are the two KPDs (old and young) that everybody seems to rave about.

All it tells us is what we already know: he's an outstanding talent wherever he plays. I reckon if you played him as a ruck rover for a year he'd have fantastic stats too.

 

[_Mike_]

He has the ability and is capable of playing both on the forward & back lines. I would like to see him used as a swingman between CHF & CHB.

 

[DognBones]

There's no doubt he has the talent to be an excellent key forward but he really must improve his set shot kicking - needs to achieve a higher rate of conversion from his brilliant marking.

 

[The Inbetweener]

There's no doubt he has the talent to be an excellent key forward but he really must improve his set shot kicking - needs to achieve a higher rate of conversion from his brilliant marking.

Agree. He seems to miss the easy ones but kick the hard ones.

 

[Dogsman16]

Pushing Naughton back would have the same impact on Schache’s career that Barry Halls retirement had on Liam Jones.

Liam Jones would have had a far more successful career had he played alongside an A grade key forward for the duration of it.

 

[Whoyagot]

Should have finished with 4 today.

This is guy is THE MOST IMPORTANT player on our list BAR NONE. For a 19 year old to not only be forced to play on the best KPD each week and not only break even, but win, is huge. His ability to contest in the air and on the ground has been a huge part of why our ball movement has been much more direct this season and why our forwardline is functioning so much better. The mids now have a target they can rely on and for that target to be a 19 year old kid is just insane. If he was to get injured (touch wood) I think his loss would impact us more then any other player, including bont.

 

[mcgleereturns]

There's no doubt he has the talent to be an excellent key forward but he really must improve his set shot kicking - needs to achieve a higher rate of conversion from his brilliant marking.

That’s his entire pre season next year. One week before the season started he didn’t think he’d be taking set shots this year.


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[Braybrook Son]

Coming along nicely but his goal kicking is a real worry. Hope he can improve it