AARON Naughton is the footballer every club wishes it could clone.

After all, not many first-year players are able to hold down important key defensive posts in their maiden campaign, then tear matches apart as a forward in the following season.

That alone is why the conundrum surrounding Naughton continues to grow each week.

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Forward or back?

There had been doubts cast over the role Naughton has been thrust into this season.

While no one had ever questioned the West Australian's undoubted talent and unlimited potential, the debate had been raised as to where his best footy would be played.

Having kicked three goals from five matches going into Saturday night's contest, Dogs fans were left reminiscing about his intercept ability and strong marking down back last year.

It was a rookie season in which Naughton remarkably finished fourth in the Dogs' best and fairest, despite missing four games through injury.

While exhilarating, his thrilling performance during the Western Bulldogs' resounding 47-point victory over Richmond on Saturday night didn't do much to solve that problem for Luke Beveridge.

However, it will mean Beveridge will have what coaches often describe as a 'good headache' for years to come.

Aaron Naughton celebrates one of his five goals against Richmond. Picture: AFL Photos

Naughton kicked three goals in a riveting seven-minute burst in the second quarter to put the Dogs in the ascendancy. It came within a game where he finished with a career-best five goals, complementing his 14 strong grabs.

Incredibly, nine of those marks were contested. Seven were claimed inside forward 50.

“We could’ve had Jesus Christ playing down there tonight and I reckon he would’ve struggled on him," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick remarked after the game.

Most contested marks in a game (1999-present)

10 - Wayne Carey (NM), v Coll in 2000
9 - Daniel Bradshaw (BL), v StK in 2001
9 - Chad Cornes (PA), v Ess in 2002
9 - Barry Hall (Syd), v Geel in 2008
9 - Matthew Lloyd (Ess), v Syd in 1999
9 - Aaron Naughton (WB), v Rich in 2019
9 - Brad Ottens (Rich), v Frem in 2001
9 - Drew Petrie (NM), v PA in 2011
9 - Matthew Richardson (Rich), v Geel in 1999
9 - Matthew Richardson (Rich), v Ess in 2006

And yet, despite his growth as a forward through seven weeks of the season, the nagging belief remained that Naughton's array of talents would be better suited down back.

Perhaps his lack of goals fed into that theory.

Naughton went into Saturday night's clash with Richmond without a goal in nearly 10 quarters and without multiple goals in a single game since his three majors against Sydney in round one.

He wasn't helping his cause, either. Two makeable set-shots were sent awry in the first quarter at Marvel Stadium, extending Naughton's frustrating dry spell.

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But how many second-year key forwards are producing consistent, high-quality footy?

Saturday night showed almost everything you would hope for from a 19-year-old forward.

He showed his positional sense is improving, his leading patterns are improving, his contested marking – already terrific throughout his maiden AFL season – is still improving.

The goals would come. And, as he found out, when it rains it pours.

A strong mark at the top of the goal square gifted him his first of the night early in the second term. Another big grab gave him his second moments later.

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An incredible screamer, which saw him leap high and reach over four players to grab one of the best marks you'll see this weekend, resulted in his third goal in seven minutes.

If confidence – or a lack of – stemming from his lean patch had played a part in Naughton's early inaccuracy, it was working its magic in a positive sense from thereafter.

The excitement when the ball was kicked Naughton's way was palpable. He was marking virtually everything that came towards him. More high-flying grabs resulted in his fourth and fifth majors on a hugely exciting night.

Naughton soars over Nathan Broad for one of his nine contested grabs. Picture: AFL Photos

"I haven't spent much time up forward," Naughton said after the match.

"The journey is only starting up there. The more games I play, the more I'll learn.

"I'm not too sure if I prefer it. I'm still more comfortable down back, because I know a little bit more, but it's definitely something that I'd like to grow in my game."

Naughton's form forced Hardwick to shuffle the magnets.

Having started with Nathan Broad as his opponent, the Tigers quickly shifted Noah Balta to the red-hot youngster. Minutes later, it was Dylan Grimes manning him.

But whoever was standing next to Naughton, he enhanced his growing reputation as one of the League's best contested marks and one of its best young players.

It's hard to argue that will change in the future, regardless of which end of the field he occupies.