DAVID King sees a resurgence from Aaron Naughton as the key for the Bulldogs to take their game to another level.<\/p>\n
The Dogs have had a mixed bag to start the year, currently sitting 10th on the ladder with a 4-3 record.<\/p>\n
The primary concern around the Dogs stems from the ineffectiveness of their forward line, with Naughton being the centrepiece of their whole attack.<\/p>\n
While the key forward has consistently hit the scoreboard all so far this season, kicking 15 goals through the first seven games, King believes that isn\u2019t enough for how often he is targeted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAaron Naughton, he\u2019s had a reasonable year, in terms of goals he\u2019s gone 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 3, so up and down, a little bit here and there,\u201d he said on SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had the third most targets of any forward in the competition, 40 times he\u2019s been targeted this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf the top 50 targets in the comp, he\u2019s ranked 36th in terms of him turning that target into a goal, and he\u2019s ranked 41st in terms of the teams scoring from that target, so pretty poorly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Considering this huge lack of efficiency, Kane Cornes questioned whether Naughton\u2019s impact has become overrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a reasonable question to ask, is Aaron Naughton overrated on output, do we overrate his performance,\u201d Cornes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time since he has done that and taken a game apart.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t taken over 10 marks in a long time, a full season last year he didn\u2019t take over 10 marks [in a game], even [Jamarra] Ugle-Hagan took 10 on the weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen\u2019s he going to have a 12-mark, five to six goal game, I think that\u2019s a reasonable point.\u201d<\/p>\n
While David King asserts that he doesn\u2019t see Naughton as overrated, he agrees with Cornes that the tall is in need of a big performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s definitely not overrated, but I just need to see him rip a game to shreds,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think in terms of the whole discussion about where the Dogs are at, I\u2019m waiting for Naughton, how long do we have to wait for Naughton.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s got an opportunity in the next couple of weeks to cash in and to absolutely fill up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the missing piece in the whole puzzle for the Dogs is Aaron Naughton.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite being one of the most heavily targeted forwards in the entire competition, Naughton\u2019s 15 goals currently has him tied for 12th in the Coleman medal race.<\/p>\n