A MYSTIFIED Luke Beveridge can't understand why impressive draftee Aaron Naughton is yet to be nominated for this season's NAB Rising Star award.
Naughton, the second-youngest player in the AFL (18 years, 115 days), has played every game for Dogs as a key defender, and has held his own against some of the AFL's best forwards.
Standing the likes of Lance Franklin, Joe Daniher, Jack Darling and Jeremy Cameron hasn't inhibited Naughton's trademark attacking flair, the 18-year-old ranked 17th in the AFL for intercept possessions this season.
His first seven games have gone a long way to justifying why the Dogs snapped him up with pick nine in last year's NAB AFL Draft.
Geelong's Jack Henry received the round seven nomination after the defender's impressive performance in the Cats' win over Greater Western Sydney.
A clearly sarcastic Beveridge asked reporters if they were "baiting" him with questions on why the West Australian was yet to receive a nomination.
"Didn't he get one this week?" Beveridge joked.
"Well, Jack (Henry) played really well, so that's understandable.
"I would be nice for Aaron to get one, he's been outstanding for us. He takes intercept marks for us, he's brave and he's starting to use the ball better as well.
"He's a very mature player already and we're rapt with the way he's going, so hopefully he gets a nomination this week."
The premiership coach wasn't mucking around when he declared midfielder Jack Macrae was in All Australian form.
The 23-year-old is coming off a best-on-ground performance against Gold Coast, where he racked up 40 possessions, eight tackles and a goal.
Macrae received maximum coaches votes from Beveridge and Stuart Dew for his efforts, and those 10 votes now see him sit seventh in AFLCA award.
His season stats stack up well against the rest of the competition, with Macrae sitting third for total possessions (224), sixth for score involvements (54) and eighth for clearances (43).
"I think what we've seen from Jack is the influence he can have in games, and we've thought he could always do that," Beveridge said.
"There have been games in the past when he's been extremely influential, and he's had many, many good games since I've been coach, but I think the weekend was one of his best.
"It was just so well-rounded because of his quantity and significance offensively with the ball, but his defensive work, hardness around the ball and willingness to run and help out the backline was first-rate.
"When you consider he was being tagged by Touk Miller, he did an astounding job for the team and got the personal rewards as well."
