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Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
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Western Bulldogs vice-captain Marcus Bontempelli is pleased with his team’s emerging talent with No.7 pick Bailey Smith and Ben Cavarra seemingly on track to debut in Round 1.
Bontempelli also lauded the progression of Tim English, suggesting the 205cm ruckman could be used as a key forward.
Tom Boyd (back) will not be fit to play for some time.
The baby Bulldogs fielded younger line-ups than their opposition in all 22 matches last season and have since lost another four premiership players.
List manager Sam Power targeted a few mature-age players to help build the profile although it is teenager Smith who has dropped jaws at training since overcoming an Achilles problem.
Smith’s power and speed in match simulation has some thinking he could give this year’s Rising Star a shake.
“Athletically he’s incredible,” Bontempelli told the Herald Sun.
“He’ll develop as every young player does, but has shown some good things early. He’s a super pro.
“He’s right on top of his game from an off-field point of view and it shows on field, he’s got skill and the ability to move from contest to contest.
“That’s a great element he’s already got and now it’s just about putting the rest of it together.”
Cavarra, 23, boasted a glittering junior and VFL football resume but was overlooked in five drafts before the small forward was finally taken at No.45 last year.
“Benny’s been great,” Bontempelli said.
“Obviously he’s a mature-age draft pick who spent a lot of time at Williamstown.
“You can just tell he’s played in a senior football environment because of his skill and his ability around goals and his hardness and he’s got it, you can tell that.”
The 173cm left-footer topped Williamstown’s goalkicking in 2017-18 (66 goals in total) with his forward pressure and tackling suited to the modern game.
Cavarra is likely to help replace Luke Dahlhaus (Geelong) while father-son Rhylee West is also a chance to feature early in the season.
“There’s probably a few other players who haven’t come in just through this year’s draft but have scope to improve, like Tim English,” Bontempelli said.
“He still needs time in the game to develop, he’s only played nine games. It’s so important for us as leaders and also as older players to make sure they feel they’ve got time to develop and we’re not pushing them as such.
“But this pre-season he’s shown his game has grown again.
“It’s a bit of a battle for that No.1 ruck role, Jackson Trengove has been really good in that space all pre-season and he’s really shown he wants to play in the ruck and I think that’s a good thing.
“That’s helping Timmy because they’re both learning off each other as they go and Timmy’s been a really good prospect for us as a key forward.
“We’ll wait and see how that plays out but it’s a bit of a wait and see.”
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
Can't wait to see Smith play.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
I hope the talk of 'Smith' and 'rising star' fades away. Just setting completely unrealistic goals. Gold Coast are in serious trouble, so they will have the winner. Nothing surer.
That aside, I'm pumped to see how he goes in the real stuff. West too. Also sounds like we may play English & Trengove with Schache, if all fit. I'm sick of waiting, bring on round one.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
Smith paying $17 for the rising star if you fancy a flutter. Sam Walsh from Carlton the clear favourite at $4 and will be hard to beat. Rankine from the Gold Coast second in betting at $9.
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
Very statesman-like from the Bont. Captaincy can't be far away.
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
Originally Posted by
bulldogtragic
I hope the talk of 'Smith' and 'rising star' fades away. Just setting completely unrealistic goals. Gold Coast are in serious trouble, so they will have the winner. Nothing surer.
That aside, I'm pumped to see how he goes in the real stuff. West too. Also sounds like we may play English & Trengove with Schache, if all fit. I'm sick of waiting, bring on round one.
Rankine BOG in GC's practice match v Brisbane
If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.
Formerly gogriff
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Re: Marcus Bontempelli impressed with young Bulldogs, hails recruits
Originally Posted by
boydogs
Rankine BOG in GC's practice match v Brisbane
Lock it in after that. I know where David King would have his money now.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023