Does Anyone think Naughton should be playing Fullback?

[bornadog]

Bevo has had a lot of critics about moving Naughton to the forward line, but I think he has been proven right. Naughton has been a great addition to the forward line even though he is still learning his craft.

I happy with him at full forward and really compliments Schache. Together they are going to be a handful for teams to combat.

Anyone still think he should be moved back to Full back?

[azabob]

In a word No. I think he has shown enough to be a very good key position forward for the remainder of his career.

Having said that we do need to find a mobile key position defender.

[GVGjr]

Bevo has had a lot of critics about moving Naughton to the forward line, but I think he has been proven right. Naughton has been a great addition to the forward line even though he is still learning his craft.

I happy with him at full forward and really compliments Schache. Together they are going to be a handful for teams to combat.
Anyone still think he should be moved back to Full back?

Timing is everything in the question you pose, perhaps asking the same question 2 weeks ago might produce different answers but I think you've asked a question already knowing what the answer will be.

He was moved forward in his first season as well albeit for some limited time and from memory not everyone was on board with that either.

He got moved to the back line when it was needed in the last quarter last night.
There is no real wrong answer here, leave him forward and give him time he will become a great forward. Move him back and he will be a great tall defender.

Does the fact that he can play both ends of the ground at a high level bother anyone? I doubt it.

I know there were also some concerns that he wasn't tall enough to be a true KPP, is that still an issue?

[Ghost Dog]

Bevo has had a lot of critics about moving Naughton to the forward line, but I think he has been proven right. Naughton has been a great addition to the forward line even though he is still learning his craft.

I happy with him at full forward and really compliments Schache. Together they are going to be a handful for teams to combat.

Anyone still think he should be moved back to Full back?

I don't think there have been many critics since the Richmond game.
Anyway, kind of a moot thread...who else is there to play in the forward line who can do what he does?
Trengrove made a few bad errors but generally he was solid last night. Did some very good things.
If he plays at his best no need for Naughton in the back line.
Just swing him in there on any very mobile talls when needed.

[ledge]

I think we were are looking at either of the Young’s coming in and taking a back role more than Naughton moving back.
Both play back in the VFL are tall and quite good with cutting off forward thrusts with high marks.

[Flamethrower]

In a word No. I think he has shown enough to be a very good key position forward for the remainder of his career.

Having said that we do need to find a mobile key position defender.

Adam Tomlinson, come on down...….

[GVGjr]

The great part about Naughton's success is that from what I understand he trained with the back line over the preseason and it wasn't until the 2nd JLT that Bevo swung him forward.

If he can improve his set shot conversion he will be an even more effective forward

[comrade]

I’m in the ‘unsure’ camp. He could easily become the best key defender in the competition, whilst it’ll be tougher for him to become a really elite consistent forward IMO. But there is still a chance he does become that forward and forwards are worth more/more scarce than a defender so is it worth persisting wth? Probably.

[bornadog]

.who else is there to play in the forward line who can do what he does? .

Schache could play FF, with Trengove resting forward as 2nd ruck and Naughton could play Fullback. That releases Schache from ruck duties.

[Sedat]

I was very positive about this move before R1 and I'm really happy with his progress in a completely unfamiliar role.

He is a competitive beast and a jet, so I have no doubt he would make any position a success.

[Ghost Dog]

Schache could play FF, with Trengove resting forward as 2nd ruck and Naughton could play Fullback. That releases Schache from ruck duties.

Shaq as main man in the forward line, V bottom 8 sides maybe. But only Naughton has the leading acceleration and wrestling strength V top 8 sides like the cats. Shaq may come along eventually.

[G-Mo77]

I made a post about this in the Game Thread. He's got that X Factor about him and the confidence to go with being a key forward. I'm not moving him back. That being said we've robbed Peter to pay Paul and the hole we've left down back hasn't been filled. That is something we need to address desperately in the off-season.

[bornadog]

I made a post about this in the Game Thread. He's got that X Factor about him and the confidence to go with being a key forward. I'm not moving him back. That being said we've robbed Peter to pay Paul and the hole we've left down back hasn't been filled. That is something we need to address desperately in the off-season.

Totally agree. Lew Young is still struggling at VFL level, but hoping he can come good.

[Twodogs]

Timing is everything in the question you pose, perhaps asking the same question 2 weeks ago might produce different answers but I think you've asked a question already knowing what the answer will be.

He was moved forward in his first season as well albeit for some limited time and from memory not everyone was on board with that either.

He got moved to the back line when it was needed in the last quarter last night.
There is no real wrong answer here, leave him forward and give him time he will become a great forward. Move him back and he will be a great tall defender.

Does the fact that he can play both ends of the ground at a high level bother anyone? I doubt it.

I know there were also some concerns that he wasn't tall enough to be a true KPP, is that still an issue?

Never ask a question that you don't know the answer to.

[1eyedog]

Already a gun forward and they're harder to find and far more deadly. A solid defender can be traded in.

[The Adelaide Connection]

I hope he is predominantly played forward now but I think he can be swung within games in the model that Westoff has been for most of his career.

Switching him back, Trengove to ruck, and English resting forward within games should be a lever we pull within games to give us a different look (and it also gives English a rest from the ruck without having to ruck Schache).

[westbulldog]

Happy to see him stay forward. Bring Lewis Young in and throw the cheque book at Harris Andrews.

[Doc26]

Happy to see him stay forward. Bring Lewis Young in and throw the cheque book at Harris Andrews.

Would love Andrews at our Club but as a locally grown Lions academy player signed until the end 2021, coupled with the Lions trajectory I doubt that our TPP would even be enough.

[Stefcep]

No. Could be a once in 25 years star-forward for us.

[MrMahatma]

He’d potentially be a great defender. But with his kicking, he wouldn’t be the perfect defender (currently) that he’s kind of made out to be. So the comparison is really based on an assumption of what he would be in defence.

A bird in the hand and all that. I’m very happy with him up forward. Still needs to work on his kicking but he’s getting there.

[jeemak]

His versatility actually works to our favour when we try (hopefully) and trade in some mature key position talent at the end of this year, in that we don't have to specifically target a tall defender.

For instance, if we think we can land a couple a game mature key forward and that means we play them alongside Schache, then we solve our key defencive issues by putting Naughton back. If we're lucky enough to land a mature key position defender then what we're left with is options to work with in Trengove, whoever comes in, and Naughton alongside Cordy and Lewis Young should he come good.

It's a great place for us to be in, and a largely unrecognised benefit of the sometimes frustrating versatility mantra that Bevo brings to the table. If we have players who can cover a couple of roles within the side, we can broaden our search for quality talent on which we will use the limited resources or levers we have to bring players in who can materially help the team.

So for now he's most likely to reap benefits as a forward, but if we land someone else who can do that but can't find a quality mature key defender then I've got no issues in him playing as a key defender in the future.

[soupman]

I was against playing him forward originally, he was already better than most key defenders last season and I had him as AA by 2020. Couldn't see the logic in stealing a genuine gun key defender to play as a pinch hit forward.

Could not be more firmly in the keep Naughton forward camp now.

He has everything he needs to succeed up forward. He is such a hard matchup with his athleticism, physicality and marking ability. He has shown an ability to create goals from nothing (already had two improbable soccer goals from a contest), mark and deliver at crucial moment and is able to push up the ground as a target as well as stay deep. Also just as importantly he is aggressive and confident, two crucial ingredients that basically every decent full forward there ever has been has had.

He's also shown an ability to fight back and impose himself on games after slow starts (Brisbane game), have an impact elsewhere when needed (ruck vs Port), and is yet to have a game where he is a complete non factor; he always manages to find the ball a little bit up the wings even when struggling.

If we see him as our key forward, which we should, then he stays there the rest of this season, and for the foreseeable future. If we recruit a key forward, it's to complement our setup around him, not to replace him.

[Bullies]

We need two Aaron Naughtons. He is exactly what we need up forward and down back.

Would be interesting to see where he would be today had we left him down back. He just reads the ball so well and I am sure he would be the number 1 intercept mark in the comp.

Absolute gun no matter wherever he plays.

[bornadog]

I think playing in the backline is much easier than the forward line. You look at players like Darcy Moore, similar attributes to Naughton, ie very athletic, tall and mobile. He basically failed as a forward but is relishing his role at FB. On the other hand, Naughton can play both ends of the ground, however, I do prefer him forward, as this is a difficult role to play and one that we are screaming out for.

Hopefully he continues to develop and build the role to make it his own.

[westbulldog]

Would love Andrews at our Club but as a locally grown Lions academy player signed until the end 2021, coupled with the Lions trajectory I doubt that our TPP would even be enough.

Yes, fair point but contracts these days can be and are broken. My broader point is that we need 2 KPD's, Trengove and Cordy are trying but don't cut it.

[Eastdog]

What an excellent career so far for Aaron. He has been excellent since arriving at the club. Was great last year in his debut season down back but just been as good up forward this year. His marking ability just excellent and Tim English is a good mark as well and he will only get better. I probably keep going with him up forward. 4 goals on Saturday ain’t bad at all.

[azabob]

I wonder if Hamling had stayed would we have drafted Naughton?

[GVGjr]

As a side note, is anyone concerned that he doesn't appear to be wearing a mouthguard?

[bornadog]

As a side note, is anyone concerned that he doesn't appear to be wearing a mouthguard?

Silly if he doesn't

[bornadog]

I wonder if Hamling had stayed would we have drafted Naughton?

At the time if Hamling stayed, and with Adams already on the books, maybe we would have gone another player. But do we stick with best available, especially for a first rounder? I think we would still have gone Naughton.

[Sedat]

At the time if Hamling stayed, and with Adams already on the books, maybe we would have gone another player. But do we stick with best available, especially for a first rounder? I think we would still have gone Naughton.
I'm just very happy that St Kilda opted for Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield with the 2 picks immediately before Naughton. There has been plenty of talk about them choosing Billings over Bont, but early days this one is looking worse.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I think playing in the backline is much easier than the forward line. You look at players like Darcy Moore, similar attributes to Naughton, ie very athletic, tall and mobile. He basically failed as a forward but is relishing his role at FB. On the other hand, Naughton can play both ends of the ground, however, I do prefer him forward, as this is a difficult role to play and one that we are screaming out for.

Hopefully he continues to develop and build the role to make it his own.
The value of playing Naughton forward is to provide some quality in a forward line that has been poor for the past 3 years. Schache is still a work in progress but having Naughton there will benefit Schache’s progress towards a quality two pronged attack

[Bullies]

I'm just very happy that St Kilda opted for Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield with the 2 picks immediately before Naughton. There has been plenty of talk about them choosing Billings over Bont, but early days this one is looking worse. If you haven't seen the highlights of Naughton prior to the draft then have a look. It is astounding how he wasn't picked up sooner. St Kilda recruiters surely still can't have a job.

[AshMac]

If you haven't seen the highlights of Naughton prior to the draft then have a look. It is astounding how he wasn't picked up sooner. St Kilda recruiters surely still can't have a job.

I read an article just before the 2017 draft that said he’d be a top 2 pick if it wasn’t for his kicking. Still some room for development but seems to be getting better.

[AshMac]

The value of playing Naughton forward is to provide some quality in a forward line that has been poor for the past 3 years. Schache is still a work in progress but having Naughton there will benefit Schache’s progress towards a quality two pronged attack

Agree with this. He seems to have better games when schache is there and when our midfield clicks. I’ve watched him at games over the few weeks leading to the bye and he is clearly still learning to read the play and his running patterns playing forward.

That can be learned so adding his natural ability with a learned forward craft will one day be deadly.