WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has aired his frustration at opposition defenders' treatment of young forward Aaron Naughton during his side's loss at Optus Stadium.
After beginning the season with three goals against Sydney, Naughton has kicked just three goals in the past five games, including going goalless in the past two weeks.
Naughton was held to 12 disposals by Joel Hamling and failed to kick a goal, and Beveridge was forced to move the 19-year-old back to defence late in the match to get his star youngster into the game.
DOCKERS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats
When asked whether the Dogs had anyone to call on to help Naughton out up forward in coming weeks, Beveridge raised the lack of free kicks the youngster received against the Dockers.
"What, when he gets held and gets a free kick or two? Is that what you mean? That'd help. That would, but in the end we had to move him back as it wasn't working for him," Beveridge said.
"We created enough opportunities ... we need our medium and small forwards to produce some better outcomes and we are not getting goals out of our midfield either."
Aaron Naughton has struggled to make an impact in recent weeks. Picture: AFL Photos
Despite his frustration at Naughton's treatment from umpires, Beveridge didn't want the issue to dominate his post-match press conference and was at pains to clarify his position when asked again about his comments.
"The headline can't be 'That was a big issue'," Beveridge said.
"Ultimately Fremantle beat us. That's the way it is. I'm not whinging about that.
"That just happens in the game. If it's missed, it's missed and you hope they get it next time.
"It is a challenge for a young forward to work through that and contain the footy if they don't win it and he's just got a little way to go with all that."
WATCH Luke Beveridge's full post-match press conference
Beveridge was even more disappointed with his side's last-quarter fadeout as the Dockers kicked four goals to one to seal the victory.
"The most disappointing thing is that we were in a position to win it and we faded in the first two-thirds of that last quarter and they got the upper hand more from us not finishing the game," he said.
"The good thing was that we were in the game, but we've got to make sure that particularly our more experienced group can take us across the line and maybe even gap them in that third quarter.
"We're just trying to make sure that complacency never occurs, and we've got a way to go."
