Western Bulldogs lock away emerging tall Aaron Naughton until 2024
Fresh from re-signing a host of crucial pillars for their future, the Western Bulldogs have locked away an emerging tall with arguably the ‘best pair of dukes’ in footy.
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Western Bulldogs have locked away the hottest emerging tall in the game with Aaron Naughton signing a long-term contract.
The Herald Sun can reveal Naughton — who was already contracted for 2020 — is now off limits until 2024 after penning a lucrative extension on Monday.
“It was an easy decision,” manager Andrew McDougall, of Corporate Sports, said.
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“Aaron loves the Bulldogs and working with Bevo. He’s happy in Melbourne and really positive about where the club is going.”
The only AFL player contracted for longer is Richmond’s Tom Lynch, who is tied to Punt Rd until 2025.
Naughton’s housemate, fellow West Australian Tim English, is also settled and will look to extend his deal beyond 2020 later this season.
After vice-captain Marcus Bontempelli re-signed last November, Naughton’s signature loomed as one of the most important at Whitten Oval.
Naughton, 19, took a courageous pack mark while running back with the flight against Gold Coast on Sunday to give the Dogs a sniff in the tense final minutes.
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It was the left-footed teenager’s 36th contested mark.
After 21 games Naughton has Lynch (35 contested marks), Joe Daniher (31), Tom Hawkins (25), Ben Brown (23), Jack Riewoldt (19), Lance Franklin and Josh Kennedy (both 12) all covered.
Naughton rents in Port Melbourne with English, 21, and Pat Lipinski, 20, and has family in Victoria.
The 91kg talent was drafted from Peel Thunder but grew up in Langwarrin.
Jonathan Brown rated Naughton’s debut season the best by a key-position player since Jesse Hogan, who won the 2015 Rising Star.
Naughton helped carry a depleted backline for the first half of 2018, finishing fourth in the best-and-fairest despite missing four games through injury.
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Naughton then trained all pre-season in defence before premiership coach Luke Beveridge swung him forward for the final practice match.
Now Naughton appears likely to spend most of his career as an athletic goalkicker.
Teammate and former Tiger Sam Lloyd said Naughton shares “a lot of similar attributes” with Alex Rance.
“He’s got the best pair of dukes I’ve probably ever seen,” Lloyd said.
Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd praised Naughton’s improved kicking and ability to “control the air” after he booted 3.2 in Round 1.
The Dogs drafted 17-year-old Naughton at No.9 in 2017, their first top-10 pick since Bontempelli.
Former recruiter Simon Dalrymple rated Naughton the sixth-best player in the pool and early recasts have him as high as No.1.
List manager Sam Power said Naughton was already a “critical” player.
Power has recently re-signed reigning best-and-fairest Lachie Hunter (2024) and youngsters Lipinski (2021), Fergus Greene and Lachie Young (both 2020).
Premiership trio Tom Liberatore (free agent), Caleb Daniel and Josh Dunkley fall out of contract this year.
Originally published as Western Bulldogs lock away emerging tall Aaron Naughton until 2024
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