The Marcus Bontempelli Appreciation thread

[angelopetraglia]

I love Bont.

[bornadog]

I think he is now the best Bulldog of all time. (sorry Chris Grant)

I don't think I have ever seen a player influence a game as much as the Bont does.

[EasternWest]

Aye, there's nothing this feller deserves more than team success, he's just scooping up individual accolades for fun these days.

The flawless way he leads us demands the club be nothing short of relentless in helping him achieve it while we enjoy the privilege of his company.

This is Bont's world. We just live in it.

[Mantis]

Aye, there's nothing this feller deserves more than team success, he's just scooping up individual accolades for fun these days.

The flawless way he leads us demands the club be nothing short of relentless in helping him achieve it while we enjoy the privilege of his company.

I’m going to challenge this.

I rate Bont the best player I’ve seen in our jumper, but given our indifferent form over the past 2 years there is a part of his game I’m not comfortable with.

When the opposition has the ball he never gets to a man and is always finger pointing. If his teammates covered for him, like teammates of the very best players do at opposing clubs I wouldn’t be concerned, but we absolutely ****ing suck in this area and I wish he led by example in this part of the game, like he does in almost all others.

[jazzadogs]

I’m going to challenge this.

I rate Bont the best player I’ve seen in our jumper, but given our indifferent form over the past 2 years there is a part of his game I’m not comfortable with.

When the opposition has the ball he never gets to a man and is always finger pointing. If his teammates covered for him, like teammates of the very best players do at opposing clubs I wouldn’t be concerned, but we absolutely ****ing suck in this area and I wish he led by example in this part of the game, like he does in almost all others.

Isn't our game plan to guard space rather than a man? Isn't he directing his teammates to their spots in the zone and the 'grass' they are meant to be protecting?

[Grantysghost]

I’m going to challenge this.

I rate Bont the best player I’ve seen in our jumper, but given our indifferent form over the past 2 years there is a part of his game I’m not comfortable with.

When the opposition has the ball he never gets to a man and is always finger pointing. If his teammates covered for him, like teammates of the very best players do at opposing clubs I wouldn’t be concerned, but we absolutely ****ing suck in this area and I wish he led by example in this part of the game, like he does in almost all others.

Whens the last time players grabbed a man? It's all zoning off and working off the position of your team mate. Sadly I think the opposite can be useful especially when there are run ons.

[Grantysghost]

Isn't our game plan to guard space rather than a man? Isn't he directing his teammates to their spots in the zone and the 'grass' they are meant to be protecting?

What JD said.

[jazzadogs]

What JD said.

To be clear I'm not saying I LIKE it, but I think he's being a good captain by following instructions. If he was the one player who broke the zone and took a man would that be better or worse?

[Grantysghost]

[angelopetraglia]

There should be a love button.

[Grantysghost]

There should be a love button.

Look I really just post the photos, I mean of course I'm flattered and all, a like will do though.

[Scorlibo]

Bont's AFLPA win after having already won it in 2021, and won an AFLCA award in 2019, got me thinking about the records for players winning either a Brownlow, AFLPA or AFLCA award in separate years. Ie. in how many distinct years has a player been judged the best in the competition by at least one of the coaches, players or umpires. Bont is one of only five players with three or more years:

Ablett - 5 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013)
Judd - 4 (2004, 2006, 2010, 2011)
Fyfe - 3 (2014, 2015, 2019)
Williams - 3 (1985, 1986, 1994)
Bontempelli - 3 (2019, 2021, 2023)

Fair company.

[Mantis]

Isn't our game plan to guard space rather than a man? Isn't he directing his teammates to their spots in the zone and the 'grass' they are meant to be protecting?

Yet none of them work hard enough, including him, to shut down the space.

Our work without the ball is extremely bad, like in the bottom 2-3 teams in the comp… and unfortunately our captain doesn’t set an amazing example in this area.

[hujsh]

Yet none of them work hard enough, including him, to shut down the space.

Our work without the ball is extremely bad, like in the bottom 2-3 teams in the comp? and unfortunately our captain doesn?t set an amazing example in this area.

I was annoyed enough by this in round 2 to question if he should be the captain. Standing 5m away from the man on the mark isn't exactly the best job you can do guarding space. Maybe that going too far but we never really did improve in that area and it doesn't seem like we have anyone really setting a standard there.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Yet none of them work hard enough, including him, to shut down the space.

Our work without the ball is extremely bad, like in the bottom 2-3 teams in the comp? and unfortunately our captain doesn?t set an amazing example in this area.

It's like there's zero co-ordination amongst the players in this regard. Too many times you'd see 3, 4 or even 5 players jogging in the same area inside defensive 50, only for the opposition to find an unmanned player on his own.

So many of our issues come down to effort. If we had consistent and reliable effort from 90% of the group we'd be a much much better side straight away.