The AFL currently has an abundance of talented young key forwards, but Terry Wallace believes Aaron Naughton is the best of the bunch.
The 20-year-old Bulldog has played 47 games, 18 of them in defence, and kicked 32 goals in 2019.
He has quickly become known for his contested marking inside 50 and is developing into the perfect player to capitalise on the side’s skilled midfielders – when he is healthy.
Naughton returned from a serious ankle injury recently and flexed his might on the winless Crows, kicking 6.1 from eight disposals.
If he had the choice of any of the young key forwards around the AFL, Wallace says he would take Naughton.
“Aaron Naughton’s injury, it’s just been amazing what he’s actually been able to do, that syndesmosis is usually a pretty nasty one,” he told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“Back after basically six weeks and to be leaping like he was leaping yesterday, he is unbelievably and he didn’t do it on a kid, this is an All-Australian key defender who is one of the most difficult players to get a kick on in Daniel Talia.
“He was just jumping over blokes’ heads and I would go as far as to say to me, he is the best young key forward, the most promising and the best to watch in the competition.
“I know you can put the King boys in there, I’m happy to put Sam Weideman in there, Todd Marshall for Port, Oscar Allen, the Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow combination, I know we haven’t seen Charlie for a while, Nick Larkey, Tom McCartin.
“You put whoever you want in there, I’m taking Aaron Naughton before any of them. He’s brilliant.”
Naughton and the Bulldogs take on Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Listen to Terry Wallace on SEN in the player below