How St Kilda’s draft strategy cost it Aaron Naughton, Marcus Bontempelli and Christian Petracca

St Kilda could have three of the AFL’s best talents. Instead, it is paying the price for a draft curse and missed opportunities to land a future star.

Aaron Naughton is fast-becoming one of the game’s best key forwards. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

This is a tale of two football clubs and “Air” Naughton.

Air Naughton is Aaron Naughton, the 21-year-old Bulldog – who could’ve been a Saint – and who is earning the accolade of the best emerging key forward in the game.

His ability to leap and take contested marks makes him a point of difference and a key component of the Bulldogs’ September campaign.

By the end of the season, who knows, the ‘emerging’ could be removed and the tag might be ‘the best key forward in the game’.

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Aaron Naughton is fast-becoming one of the game’s best key forwards. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

He’s exciting, fearless and adventurous in the air, and the slight on his kicking is a fraction overplayed.

Already, he has been compared to a young Wayne Carey.

I see more of a comparison with a young Matthew Richardson: athletic, loves to run with the ball, an outrageously high leap and lean with long arms.

And Richo could never beat down the critics of his goal kicking.

Stephen Kernahan was one of the great pack and one-on-one-marks of his generation and sees talent overload in Naughton.

Naughton is the game’s contested-marking king. Picture: Getty Images

High-flying Naughton is already getting comparisons to the great Wayne Carey. Picture: Joe Mann

Robbo sees more of Richmond champion Matthew Richardson in Naughton.

“I saw the highlights of the marks he took in the wet at the weekend, and he was just grabbing the ball from everywhere,’’ the former Carlton great said yesterday.

“Is he 21? I couldn’t believe he is 21, is that right?

“I saw him last year developing and blossoming, and he was taking big pack marks and a heap of contested marks and, let’s face it, not many do nowadays.

“At the weekend, he was just jumping from everywhere and they couldn’t stop it.

“(Tom) Barrass and (Jeremy) McGovern, they are no slouches and they usually stop their blokes, but they were lost at sea with him.

“It was outstanding to watch, bloody hell he’s good.’’

St Kilda could’ve had Naughton.

Marcus Bontempelli could have been a Saint. Instead, he’s in Brownlow Medal form for the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

Wouldn’t the Saints love to have Christian Petracca running around for them? Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

In fact, St Kilda could’ve had Naughton and Marcus Bontempelli and, for that matter, Christian Petracca, if they chose wisely at three national drafts.

The Saints took Hunter Clark (No. 7) and Nick Coffield (No. 8) in the 2017 national draft. They selected two back flankers ahead of Naughton, who went to the Dogs at No.9.

In 2013, they selected midfielder Jack Billings at No.3. The Dogs selected Bontempelli, this season’s best player, at No.4.

And, in 2014, the Saints opted for Paddy McCartin at No. 1, now delisted and fighting to resurrect his AFL career, and passed on Petracca (No. 2).

For St Kilda, it’s the Curse of the Next Pick.

Naughton shares top billing for contested marks taken this year (40) with Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn.

He is No. 1 for contested marks inside 50.

His goal kicking is at the league average in two of the past three seasons and, in 2020, he kicked a very accurate 15.7, well above the league average.

Kernahan said contested marking key forwards were rolled gold.

“If you can get two of them, it’s even better,’’ he said.

“Josh Bruce is a good foil for him, really. You just go into them, don’t you?

“Look at (Tom) Lynch and (Jack) Riewoldt, they haven’t worried about how they’ve put it in to those two blokes.

Stephen Kernahan was one of the game’s finest key forwards. Picture: Ray Titus

“They try to put it to advantage as best they can, but they go in with a lot more surety, instead of working your way forward, crisscrossing and switching.

“The Bulldogs have got seven or eight midfielders and they deliver it well. It’s hard to beat them. I like them a lot, the Bulldogs.’’

Kernahan, who had minor flaws with his goal kicking throughout his Hall-of-Fame career, is not fazed about Naughton’s goal kicking.

“I’m not worried about his kicking,’’ he said.

“Once you get it, you’re a chance and if he’s kicking at the league average you can only get better.

“As long as he takes pack marks and they go in as many times as they do, he’s going to kick a lot of goals.”