Strategy Naughton should be our number 1 key forward

[BrisDog]

Ever bought a VK Commodore for $1200 to get it home, pop the bonnet and find a Ferrari 812 motor mounted securely within?

No me neither. The Western Bulldogs however may as well have in selecting Aaron Naughton with pick number 9 in the 2017 draft.

Described as an ‘athletic swingman’ (my old nickname), with a dour defensive mentality and an awkward kicking style it was hard to by excited by the selection let alone after watching him execute a ball-drop from hell with his first kick in the big time.

However in recent months, culminating in his performance last night it is evident that we have accidentally recruited the Bulldogs next Simon Beasley.

Beasley, the West Australian, blond haired, awkward ball drop....he was the last Bulldog to kick 100 in a season and turn his paltry Bulldog salary into many millions on a Tuesday afternoon at Flemington.

We all know what it is like to sell the farm to chase a potential key forward, even if selling the farm actually bought us a flag which it did.

But ladies and gentlemen, we have a potential Coleman Medalist on our list. Let him never step foot in the backline again.

 

[Next Waiting]

After 1 game he probably already is our no1 kpf. Hes also simultaneously our no1 kpd. As homer says "what can ya do".

 

[100action]

since we are desperately crying out for a forward target, I don't mind playing him up forward predominantly.

In an ideal world, where we have other key forwards that are a threat, he plays KPD and rotates up forward when necessary. Sort of becoming a Tom Mcdonald scenario.

 

[LukasTheGreat]

If we had 2 of him we're probably a top four team.

 

[Freshwater]

Natural footballers are often forwards. Forwards win games, backs save them. He is a natural talent.

 

[Mofra]

If Tom Boyd was fit he doesn't get a game anymore - both Naughts and Schache have overtaken him.

Naughton shouldn't be that good as a 19 year old, he shouldn't be. I can't believe how much his kicking has improved.

 

[ringa5]

Not gloating as lv'e been just as wrong before as anyone else.
BUT MY POST LAST YEAR

Changes v Roos R14 With our bad list management and the overabundance of talls.l would throw Naughton forward for the rest of the season.For His education .Chance he may lose some confidence with our crap forward line caaching.But could help his defense work going forward. . ringa5 Post #106 Jun 19, 2018 Forum: Western Bulldogs


AND SO MANY DOUBTERS RIPPED INTO ME.

 

[Next Waiting]

If Tom Boyd was fit he doesn't get a game anymore - both Naughts and Schache have overtaken him.

Naughton shouldn't be that good as a 19 year old, he shouldn't be. I can't believe how much his kicking has improved.

He might if a) his form was good enough and b) schache went a roaming from half fwd or became a wingman in the richo mould

 

[ScragCity]

Naughton is already our number one KPF. They've already started drafting the plans for his statue at WO

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

I find it fascinating how some blokes can just stick marks. He’s a remarkable talent and the type of player we’ve been missing for far too long.

My only reservation with him going forward was that his kicking would let him down. Quite the reverse. He’s such a bad kick, he’s really had to learn a strict routine and so far he’s absolutely nailing it.

Seems like a very determined and driven young man too. Somebody get a contract in front of him.

 

[BrisDog]

We had Easton Wood, a less talented player in my eyes compared to Naughton, towel up Buddy last night.

We have a serviceable Premiership FB in Fletcher Roberts sitting once more in the seconds. We have a talented, yet unproven big boy Lewis Young sitting with the Scray as well.

It is rare to recruit a hero with pick no 9. Let us not waste him being ‘dour’ and punching from behind when he could be kicking 12 up front.

This whole scenario is not disimilar to the band ‘Cream’ in 67 (rated the most talented 3 piece band in history) before they realised Jack Bruce (the bass player) was the most talented front man in the band, they suffered under Eric Clapton before promoting Bruce and producing some extraordimary albums (not entirely accurate). The following clip displays my theory:

 

[dogwatch]

He's currently on track for 66 H&A goals this season*. Plus 9 more for the three finals he'll play in. That makes 75, the most since Bazza in 2010.

*Admittedly not from a large statistical base.

 

[Sharkey66]

Geez im glad we aren't putting any pressure on the kid. Love how we are all keeping it low key.

 

[Dry Rot]

Naughton is already our number one KPF. They've already started drafting the plans for his statue at WO

My word from the inner sanctum is that the club is about to build a statue of you as our greatest social media poster.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

He’s bloody solid as well. Big guns for a kid and he’ll only get bigger.
He could develop into a monster

 

[JTCWBFC]

What's his range like - any one seen him have shots from 50 or so out?

 

[Cadillac]

Been saying he’s a key forward since he took this mark last year.
He’s the first player since Chris Grant that we’ve drafted that’s capable of taking a mark like this up forward.

 

[BRWB]

Ive seen enough. Park him fwd. First bloke who looks a consistent overhead marking threat fwd since Granty. Grundy, who has chopped us up for yrs, found himself in the ruck largely due to Naughton IIRC.

Naughton also is competitive defensively and has some s**t in him...so to be polite he complements Schache nicely.

 

[footscray1973]

Been saying he’s a key forward since he took this mark last year.
He’s the first player since Chris Grant that we’ve drafted that’s capable of taking a mark like this up forward.

Almost the best part of that mark is the landing on Thompson's foot/leg - I could watch that clip over and over again just to enjoy that limp at approx 00:11-00:15, almost as good as Hall trying to suffocate the turd.

 

[ScragCity]

Bevidge's versatility obsession has ruined yet another player. So sad

 

[stefoid]

Almost the best part of that mark is the landing on Thompson's foot/leg - I could watch that clip over and over again just to enjoy that limp at approx 00:11-00:15, almost as good as Hall trying to suffocate the turd.

Also delivered the elbow simultaneously to the top of his head. Didnt seem to have any effect tho...

 

[Mofra]

It's harder to find a KPF than it is to find a KPD. After all the forwards we've drafted or traded for and failed to develop, or those that ended up playing in a different position (Harris/Lake, Minson, Tom Boyd) our real KPF comes after being drafted as a defender.

 

[Virgin Dog]

It's harder to find a KPF than it is to find a KPD. After all the forwards we've drafted or traded for and failed to develop, or those that ended up playing in a different position (Harris/Lake, Minson, Tom Boyd) our real KPF comes after being drafted as a defender.

Really shows why Bevo is so keen on developing Naughton as a KPF - quality is so hard to come by, and we finally have this gift from the Gods on our list, so why not go for it. We have a other young potential key defenders (Cordy, Young, possibly Khamis although he might be more of an interceptor) but are very short on decent KPFs (Schache, maybe Boyd?).

Also is much easier to poach opposition KPDs in trade period than KPFs. Someone like a Barrass, Astbury, etc. is gettable in trade period, but guys like Brown, Curnow not so much

 

[lachy]

David Neitz
Alistair Lynch
Are 2 players who began life as key defenders and ended up kicking over 600 goals

A KPD may save you the occasional game a KPF can win you many

Naughton has natural forward instincts. I hope now he is allowed to develop forward

 

[Doggiesfan14]

I don't necessarily think his kicking has improved, his field kicking looks suspicious but his goal kicking has always been good. From memory his routine looked pretty sound against Norf last year