Fremantle great Paul Hasleby believes his former side should be going after Aaron Naughton in the upcoming trade period, throwing Sean Darcy’s name up as potential trade bait.
Among several struggles for the Dockers in 2023, the most notable has proven issues with the forward line and a key target inside forward 50.
Jye Amiss has shown more than enough to suggest he’ll be a star but has plenty of improvement left in him at just 19 years of age. Luke Jackson’s best form comes in the ruck, Matt Taberner remains injured and while Fremantle has trialled several other options, none have announced themselves as the Dockers’ go-to man for the next decade.
Enter Western Bulldogs gun Naughton.
Hasleby floated the 23-year-old Bulldog as one who the Dockers could build around and also believes Naughton is a chance to leave The Kennel in 2023, despite being contracted until the end of 2024.
“They’ve got Josh Treacy there, who’s still a work in progress. Luke Jackson has filled that role when Sean Darcy is there,” Hasleby said on SEN WA’s The Run Home aregarding the Dockers’ tall forward options.
“But Aaron Naughton, for me, is the one. I think he’s gettable this year, he’s out of contract next year but there’s a few murmurings around that he’s open to having a look at other clubs.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s Fremantle… I fear that they could have most parts of the ground right but not the forward half and it needs to marry up.
“If you go back to the draft it’ll take another 2-3 years… Naughton hasn’t had the best year himself but he does offer what Fremantle doesn’t have, and that’s a big player in the forward line to crash packs, to take big contested marks.
“I’d be having a look to see his availability.”
Naughton is a West Australian native and just last year booted 51 goals for the Dogs. But the contracted Bulldog wouldn’t come cheaply and Hasleby would therefore look at putting a big name on the trade table.
With Tim English already commanding the first ruck position under Luke Beveridge, trading Dockers ruckman Darcy for Naughton would require a third club getting involved.
“Dockers fans won’t like my idea… it’s the ruckman, Sean Darcy,” Hasleby added.
“It won’t be a straight trade to the Bulldogs because they’ve already got Tim English, but that’s the only way I see it.
“I want to throw it out there. Jackson and Naughton or Jackson and Darcy, which way would you go?
“Harsh I know, but sometimes to have success you have to be prepared to make the big call.
“I love Sean Darcy as a ruckman but I feel for Fremantle to go forward, they need to find an absolute gun key forward, that’s probably the way I’d be going.”
Darcy, a Victorian, was on Monday sent for ankle surgery with a line put through his season. The 25-year-old’s form over the last three seasons has put him in the upper echelon of competition’s ruckmen.
His combination with new recruit Jackson hasn’t proved a resounding success as Fremantle continues to work on how best to split the ruck duties.
Plenty of that debate has also revolved around the struggles inside 50, with the Dockers boasting more total points than just four other clubs in 2023.