Toast Welcome to the Temple of Bontempelli, please take off your shoes and pay your respects

[Mutt]

You Think?
I reckon he wont give two shits.

It might adversely affect his remuneration. Maybe he misses a bonus for AA selection... but I agree that he won't see it as a slight which in turn motivates him. Bont appears to be highly self motivated.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

You Think?
I reckon he wont give two shits.

Exactly. The AA is just a glorified popularity contest. The fact that Hibberd gets picked over Shiggs proves that well and truly.

Bont strikes me as a very competitive person, and while I think he is a team first player, the fact that no Bulldog was in the AA squad won't sit well.

 

[ScragCity]

Bont strikes me as a very competitive person, and while I think he is a team first player, the fact that no Bulldog was in the AA squad won't sit well.

Since when has Bont ever needed extra motivation? I'm more concerned about his degenerative hip than his motivation levels.

 

[Braybrook Son]

I love Bonti, but didn't think he'd make the 22 AA side. Was warranted, didn't have that much of a consistent season. Form and playing injured didn't help. I was surprised he got into the 40 to be fair.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Adam Cooney says captaincy can wait for Marcus Bontempelli, Easton Wood best option
GLENN McFARLANE, Herald Sun
August 30, 2017 7:30pm
Subscriber only
BROWNLOW Medallist Adam Cooney has urged the Western Bulldogs not to burden star midfielder Marcus Bontempelli with the captaincy too soon, saying Easton Wood should be Bob Murphy’s successor.

As the Bulldogs use the off-season to investigate what went wrong in their premiership defence, they will also need to settle on a new captain heading into the 2018 season - and beyond.

Wood, who led the club superbly in Murphy’s absence in 2016 and held the premiership cup aloft, is favoured to win the role, though Bontempelli will have his admirers and is considered a captain-in-waiting.


Cooney said the Bulldogs are well placed in terms of leadership options, but stressed that Bontempelli should be allowed to “enjoy his footy” for a few more years without having the added burden of the captaincy.

“Let him win his Brownlow first, let him win another flag first,” Cooney said of Bontempelli. “There is a lot of off-field stuff you need to do (as captain) ... and he doesn’t need to do that (yet).”

Cooney said the best scenario would be have a few bridging seasons with the highly-capable Wood in the role before he handed over to Bontempelli.

Marcus Bontempelli, Bob Murphy and Easton Wood celebrate a win earlier this year.
“You have to be across everything that is happening at a football club,” Cooney told AFL Nation. “Easton Wood has done that, and he is certainly that type of character.

“They should give it to him for two or three years, and ‘Bont’ will take over when he is maybe 25 or something like that.”

Wood turns 28 next week and is contracted to the club until the end of the 2020 season.

Internally, he played a significant role in keeping the Bulldogs on track through a tough home-and-away season after Murphy’s injury last year, and led magnificently during last year’s finals series. He was happy to hand the reins back to Murphy on his return this year.

Bontempelli, who turns 22 in November, captained the club briefly in Wood’s absence last year, becoming the youngest leader to captain a winning side. He has long-term captaincy ambitions, but acknowledged earlier this year that he has plenty of time on his side and is happy to learn from those around him.

He told the Herald Sun earlier this year: “For me I think (it’s important) to learn in this time as I grow as a player and a person from the many good leaders that are before me.”

“If something like that is on the horizon I’ll look to take it in my stride, like I have all the other things since I started my career.”

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Bont strikes me as a very competitive person, and while I think he is a team first player, the fact that no Bulldog was in the AA squad won't sit well.

Personally I think the fact that there is no Bulldog participating in September will hurt and motivate a fair bit more.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Personally I think the fact that there is no Bulldog participating in September will hurt and motivate a fair bit more.

That's a given.

 

[immortalmike]

Bont strikes me as a very competitive person, and while I think he is a team first player, the fact that no Bulldog was in the AA squad won't sit well.

Agree. Bont strikes me as a Jordan type athlete. MJ never forgot a slight no matter how small and used it to drive himself to become the greatest of all time.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Agree. Bont strikes me as a Jordan type athlete. MJ never forgot a slight no matter how small and used it to drive himself to become the greatest of all time.

I agree. The little smirk he gave that Norf potato last year when he came for him, showed me that Bont is human, and likes a bit of revenge.

 

[Ozil]

"Let him win his Brownlow first, let him win another flag first"

It's written in the stars

 

[dogwatch]

Adam Cooney says captaincy can wait for Marcus Bontempelli, Easton Wood best option
GLENN McFARLANE, Herald Sun
August 30, 2017 7:30pm
Subscriber only
BROWNLOW Medallist Adam Cooney has urged the Western Bulldogs not to burden star midfielder Marcus Bontempelli with the captaincy too soon, saying Easton Wood should be Bob Murphy’s successor.

As the Bulldogs use the off-season to investigate what went wrong in their premiership defence, they will also need to settle on a new captain heading into the 2018 season - and beyond.

Wood, who led the club superbly in Murphy’s absence in 2016 and held the premiership cup aloft, is favoured to win the role, though Bontempelli will have his admirers and is considered a captain-in-waiting.


Cooney said the Bulldogs are well placed in terms of leadership options, but stressed that Bontempelli should be allowed to “enjoy his footy” for a few more years without having the added burden of the captaincy.

“Let him win his Brownlow first, let him win another flag first,” Cooney said of Bontempelli. “There is a lot of off-field stuff you need to do (as captain) ... and he doesn’t need to do that (yet).”

Cooney said the best scenario would be have a few bridging seasons with the highly-capable Wood in the role before he handed over to Bontempelli.

Marcus Bontempelli, Bob Murphy and Easton Wood celebrate a win earlier this year.
“You have to be across everything that is happening at a football club,” Cooney told AFL Nation. “Easton Wood has done that, and he is certainly that type of character.

“They should give it to him for two or three years, and ‘Bont’ will take over when he is maybe 25 or something like that.”

Wood turns 28 next week and is contracted to the club until the end of the 2020 season.

Internally, he played a significant role in keeping the Bulldogs on track through a tough home-and-away season after Murphy’s injury last year, and led magnificently during last year’s finals series. He was happy to hand the reins back to Murphy on his return this year.

Bontempelli, who turns 22 in November, captained the club briefly in Wood’s absence last year, becoming the youngest leader to captain a winning side. He has long-term captaincy ambitions, but acknowledged earlier this year that he has plenty of time on his side and is happy to learn from those around him.

He told the Herald Sun earlier this year: “For me I think (it’s important) to learn in this time as I grow as a player and a person from the many good leaders that are before me.”

“If something like that is on the horizon I’ll look to take it in my stride, like I have all the other things since I started my career.”

I don't always agree with Cooney but there's a fair amount of sense in this.

 

[immortalmike]

I agree. The little smirk he gave that Norf potato last year when he came for him, showed me that Bont is human, and likes a bit of revenge.

That little bit of arrogance is what will make him great. It's in all the best.

 

[Dancing Dougy]

It might adversely affect his remuneration. Maybe he misses a bonus for AA selection... but I agree that he won't see it as a slight which in turn motivates him. Bont appears to be highly self motivated.

 

[Unorth]

Let Wood see out the next 2 seasons as captain. Then in 2019 announce Bont as captain when we also announce he's signed the first ever AFL lifetime contract.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

"Let him win his Brownlow first, let him win another flag first"

It's written in the stars

At least he's a moral Norm Smith winner. Everybody's rabbiting on about Boyd's influence but Bont went at 100% kicking efficiency

 

[Ozil]

At least he's a moral Norm Smith winner. Everybody's rabbiting on about Boyd's influence but Bont went at 100% kicking efficiency

I don't know. You could make a case for about eight Bulldogs but JPK had an obscenely good game, he's my faux-magnanimous retrospective pick.

 

[immortalmike]

I don't know. You could make a case for about eight Bulldogs but JPK had an obscenely good game, he's my faux-magnanimous retrospective pick.

Nah big Tom every day of the week for me. Destroyed them in the air and nailed their coffin shut.

 

[conrad_437]

I've never seen a first year kid with this sort of vision and time. Might sound like a huge call but he could be an All Australian in 2 years.

The comparison with Chris Grant earlier is pretty bloody close. Got the Grant like presence.

Not so silly now! 2 years, 2 months and 11 days after you posted this, he became an All Australian for the first of many times.

 

[BulldogJake]

I don't know. You could make a case for about eight Bulldogs but JPK had an obscenely good game, he's my faux-magnanimous retrospective pick.

He was shut down in the second half and went out of the game. Norm smith medalists have to have an impact on the result and Tom Boyd, JJ, Picken and Bont did imo.

 

[Ozil]

He was shut down in the second half and went out of the game. Norm smith medalists have to have an impact on the result and Tom Boyd, JJ, Picken and Bont did imo.

Can see your point, they were there right throughout.

That said, 34 disposals, six clearances, six tackles, six entries and three goals is hard to ignore.

It's one of the most dominant Grand Final performances from an onballer in living memory. The match is over at half time if not for him.

 

[Lex22]

Not so silly now! 2 years, 2 months and 11 days after you posted this, he became an All Australian for the first of many times.

Haha, cheers mate. Got to get it right occasionally.

I'll make the same call with Lipinski. Inside 4 years.

 

[Substance]

Does anyone know if he's getting the hip surgery again? Or is he going for the full preseason this time?

Does sound like an Adam Cooney scenario of surgery every year.

BTW 4th time AA 22 under 22, 2nd time Captain.

 

[The Inbetweener]

Does anyone know if he's getting the hip surgery again? Or is he going for the full preseason this time?

Does sound like an Adam Cooney scenario of surgery every year.

BTW 4th time AA 22 under 22, 2nd time Captain.

Not getting surgery. Good news

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Get a haircut hippy!

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2017-09-13/bont-named-young-guns-skipper

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 12: 22 under 22 vice captian Zach Merrett of the Bombers and captain Marcus Bontempelli of the Bulldogs pose for a photo during the AFL Players' MVP Awards at Shed 14 Central Pier on September 12, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)


Western Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli has been named captain of the AFL Players’ Association’s 22 Under 22 for the second year running.

The 21-year-old averaged 23 disposals and four marks per contest in 2017 and kicked 20 goals across 22 games. He also lead the club in contested possessions (11.8pg), clearances (90), contested marks (21), tackles (138) and finished second in metres gained (8,474).

Bontempelli has been named in the fan voted team in each of his four season and his eligible again in 2018. He said being named captain was a ‘great privilege’.

“Being selected in itself is an honour and then to be lucky enough to be selected as captain with the quality of players is just a massive honour,” he said.

“The fact that it’s a group of young players in a team that represents ... the growth of our game is the privileges that you love to be a part of.”

This year’s 22Under22 side features 13 first-timers and three All-Australians (Josh Kelly, Zach Merrett and Matt Crouch).

2017 is 22Under22’s fifth year since its inception and is the only recognised AFL award voted by the fans.

The initial squad of 40 players was selected by the AFL Players’ Association’s Board, with the final 22 decided entirely by the fans.

For the team and full list of award winners click here.

 

[Substance]

Good of the fans to recognise Merrett's year by making him Bont's 2IC. The Kings hand. Robin to Bont's Batman. Great honor for Merrett. Fine little player.