Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton has made himself a hero on an otherwise “horror” night, kicking the go-ahead goal to sink Carlton in an AFL thriller on Friday night.
Naughton had struggled for almost the entire night at Marvel Stadium, with just five disposals in a frustrating night littered with errors and missteps.
But when it’s not your night, as they say, it can still be your moment.
And it was for the big left-footer, who won a free kick inside the Dogs’ forward 50 with less than five minutes on the clock and slotted a clutch goal to give his side a two-point lead.
Minutes later, James O’Donnell kicked the sealer for the Dogs, ensuring an incredible comeback win, despite trailing for 108 minutes of the match.
Naughton looked defeated 20 minutes into the last quarter, having blown a chance in the forward 50 before being out-marked once by Nick Haynes.
“He’s had a horror night,” Alister Nicholson said after one of Naughton’s blunders.
Earlier in the night, legendary coach Mick Malthouse suggested coach Luke Beveridge move Naughton to the other end of the ground.
“Naughton is not a worth a cold pie in the forward line at the moment,” he said.
“Put him to centre half back and put Lobb to full forward. They haven’t got a logical match up for him there either. Its got to be worth a try.”
But the 25-year-old proved his doubters wrong when it mattered most.
“That was his moment, Naughton,” Matthew Richardson said when he kicked the go-ahead goal.
More to come …