Aaron Naughton claims Round 23 Rising Star nomination after impressing against Richmond
WESTERN Bulldogs Rising Star Aaron Naughton wants Dale Morris to play on in 2019 after spending the final 10 games “walking taller” next to his defensive mentor.
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WESTERN Bulldogs Rising Star Aaron Naughton wants Dale Morris to play on in 2019 after spending the final 10 games “walking taller” next to his defensive mentor.
Morris, 36 in December, is set to re-sign next month to ensure he and Naughton hold the fort in 2019.
“Everyone at the Bulldogs will say when he’s in the team you feel a lot more comfortable and everything just clicks better with his voice and leadership,” Naughton told the Herald Sun.
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“He’s the ultimate team man so I definitely want him in the backline next year with me.
“He’s always there talking to you, getting in the right position and you know when he’s one-on-one in a contest he’s at least going to halve it and he’s never going to give up.
“You have that extra confidence when he’s in the team with you.”
Naughton, 18, has taken nine contested marks in the past fortnight to cap a brilliant debut season which he started as the club’s No.1 backman in Morris’s absence.
“Playing on Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton in Round 1 and (Joe) Daniher Round 3, Buddy Franklin Round 4 — they were definitely some big names,” Naughton said.
“I was a bit shocked as a first-year rolling in and playing on them, but Bevo pulled me aside and said we’re backing you in to make a debut in Round 1.
“For him to back me in from the start and have that confidence in me that I’m up to the level was really good.”
The West Australian has settled into Melbourne and started renting a Port Melbourne property with teammates Tim English and Pat Lipinski last week.
The No.9 draft pick - who has extended his contract until 2020 - grew up in Langwarrin.
“I lived there until I was nine,” he said.
“We moved over to WA with family and then being drafted back here, I’ve got my mum’s side out at Colac and Warrnambool and I’ve got family and friends all around in Melbourne.
“I’ve got that support base here already, so it wasn’t as big of a move for me as some other players.”
Naughton took nine marks against Richmond on Saturday, including six intercept marks.
“My strength is marking and so the coaching staff backed me in to try and fly for a few marks and I was lucky that some started sticking for once,” he said.
“It’s the main strength in my game.”
Naughton, who spends some Wednesdays playing Nintendo 64 with friends, will join the Dogs for their end-of-season beers.
He backed Jaidyn Stephenson to deliver Collingwood’s first Rising Star award on Friday.
2018 RISING STARS
Round 1: Riley Bonner (Port Adelaide)
Round 2: Tom Doedee (Adelaide)
Round 3: Sam Murray (Collingwood)
Round 4: Jaidyn Stephenson (Collingwood)
Round 5: Ben Long (St Kilda)
Round 6: Jake Waterman (West Coast)
Round 7: Jack Henry (Geelong)
Round 8: Ben Ronke (Sydney)
Round 9: Alex Witherden (Brisbane)
Round 10: Ed Richards (W.Bulldogs)
Round 11: Ollie Florent (Sydney)
Round 12: Brennan Cox (Fremantle)
Round 13: Hunter Clark (St Kilda)
Round 14: Paddy Dow (Carlton)
Round 15: Cam Rayner (Brisbane)
Round 16: Adam Cerra (Fremantle)
Round 17: Sam Taylor (GWS Giants)
Round 18: Jack Higgins (Richmond)
Round 19: Tom Cole (West Coast)
Round 20: Harry Morrison (Hawthorn)
Round 21: James Worpel (Hawthorn)
Round 22: Aaron Francis (Essendon)
Round 23: Aaron Naughton (W.Bulldogs)
Originally published as Aaron Naughton claims Round 23 Rising Star nomination after impressing against Richmond