Marcus Bontempelli - The next Big thing?

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

This looks like fun I'll take a crack

1- Bont
2- Cripps
3- Mills
4- Viney
5- Heeney
6- Merrett
7- Wines

My opinion ofcourse but that's how I see it.

I like Wines, but he seems to have peaked. Needs to take it up a notch. I know he's only 21 (seems older) and has plenty of time on his side, but has been at a consistent level for probably 3 years now. I just want to see him have a breakout year next year and take that next step.

 

[gangsta deluxe]

I like Wines, but he seems to have peaked. Needs to take it up a notch. I know he's only 21 (seems older) and has plenty of time on his side, but has been at a consistent level for probably 3 years now. I just want to see him have a breakout year next year and take that next step.

Would help him a lot if he weren't the only bull in the paddock.

Really needs some support in their midfield.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Maybe the best young player since Judd? If he wins the brownlow next week he'll be on pace with Judd.

Exciting player and can't wait to see what he does in the next few years in an exciting team, but I feel like he should have polled a bit better in the Brownlow. For a top 8 team that won 15 games. He didn't poll a single vote in any of their 7 losses.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

He would probably be in a tie for third best Bulldogs player from the 90s/2000s. Not even remotely close to our best ever.

Hird was in a higher tier than West or Grant.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

2015 wants its' thread back

 

[SSSSSS]

Might be going a bit early but could he go down as the GOAT Bulldog by the time his career finishes?

 

[TiAn_]

Hird was in a higher tier than West or Grant.

Hird is behind West & Johnson. Par with Grant.

Will be streets behind Bontempelli within 5 years.

 

[calyam]

Haha you really think Hird would be known as the best Bulldog ever if he played for our club ?

It's really only a question of whether he'd be regarded as better than Ted Whitten. The likes of Grant and West and Hawkins are all wonderful players but none are regarded as highly as Hird.

So it's a question of whether Hird who played in a national and professional league was a better footballer than Whitten who played in an amateur state competition. We tend to elevated older players, even though the talent pool back in those days was incredibly shallow, which makes it almost impossible for modern day players to eclipse the achievements of former greats.

As for Bontempelli, if he avoids injury then he could very well become the greatest Bulldog to play the game. But due to the factors mentioned above there will always be a reluctance to put him ahead of Mr Football.

 

[Ozil]

It's a moot point, regardless.

Hird has no association with the Footscray Football Club. And thank christ for that.

 

[calyam]

Hird is behind West & Johnson. Par with Grant.

Will be streets behind Bontempelli within 5 years.

So Hird is the third best Bombers player in history (behind two AFL legends in Reynolds and Coleman) but would only be the third best Bulldog in the past quarter century? It's impossible to prove you wrong in an empirical sense but your viewpoint sits well outside accepted wisdom. I'm not even sure that West or Johnson would make a top 25 list for players during the AFL era.

 

[TiAn_]

So Hird is the third best Bombers player in history (behind two AFL legends in Reynolds and Coleman) but would only be the third best Bulldog in the past quarter century? It's impossible to prove you wrong in an empirical sense but your viewpoint sits well outside accepted wisdom. I'm not even sure that West or Johnson would make a top 25 list for players during the AFL era.

Correct, empirically Hird pales in comparison to West & Johnson.

This is the Bontempelli thread, Hird is yesterday's pariah.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Correct, empirically Hird pales in comparison to West & Johnson.

This is the Bontempelli thread, Hird is yesterday's pariah.

By what measure?

 

[Testekill]

It's a moot point, regardless.

Hird has no association with the Footscray Football Club. And thank christ for that.

If he had been a Bulldog then he'd absolutely crippled us.

 

[SSSSSS]

Hird is behind West & Johnson. Par with Grant.

Will be streets behind Bontempelli within 5 years.

Hird was better than West and Johnson as players. As human beings I'd have accept your point though.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Hird was better then Johnno and West.

But who cares, that's the past We are the premiers and have the best young player in the league

 

[Cadillac]

Exciting player and can't wait to see what he does in the next few years in an exciting team, but I feel like he should have polled a bit better in the Brownlow. For a top 8 team that won 15 games. He didn't poll a single vote in any of their 7 losses.

It's funny you mention that. In the round 18 loss to St Kilda, the team kicked 9 goals. Bont kicked three of them and finished with 25 disposals. Was easily best on the ground and didn't poll a vote.

 

[Cadillac]

It's really only a question of whether he'd be regarded as better than Ted Whitten. The likes of Grant and West and Hawkins are all wonderful players but none are regarded as highly as Hird.

So it's a question of whether Hird who played in a national and professional league was a better footballer than Whitten who played in an amateur state competition. We tend to elevated older players, even though the talent pool back in those days was incredibly shallow, which makes it almost impossible for modern day players to eclipse the achievements of former greats.

As for Bontempelli, if he avoids injury then he could very well become the greatest Bulldog to play the game. But due to the factors mentioned above there will always be a reluctance to put him ahead of Mr Football.

Hird was a phenomenal player no doubt. His trophy cabinet speaks for itself. But let's not act like he was an Immortal. He got completely destroyed in the 2001 Grand Final.

 

[Blended]

It's funny you mention that. In the round 18 loss to St Kilda, the team kicked 9 goals. Bont kicked three of them and finished with 25 disposals. Was easily best on the ground and didn't poll a vote.

Agree he should have polled more this year but Steven had 39 touches and a goal and Roo had 19 and kicked 4 that game. Bont should have got the 1....

 

[DexterTan]

He's been doing that for two years now. It used to give me the shits but he does it every time he takes a mark. Assesses the options and plays with his hair at the same time. I might buy him an Alice band.

Kind of like when Hird was playing and he kept licking his fingers.

 

[My Tilly]

Taken his game to another level this year.
As good as what Petracca has been, Bontempelli appears to bring more of his teammates into the game via scoring opportunities. A complete footballer and always a privilege watching star players turn into superstars.

 

[conrad_437]

Seemed to plateau over 2017/18 but really took his game to another level over 2019-21. Probably primed to win a Browwnlow. Hopefully Macrae doesn't steal too many votes.

 

[bigboysdontcry]

Massive call by the thread poster at the time ! Bont has everything! Complete package, leader, toughness, skills(kicks both sides), marking ability,strong, good at tackling and has really worked on his leg speed. Improved immensely with burst speed!

will be interesting to see what he achieves in the next 5 years. Could potentially be an all time great. Time will tell!

 

[CarnTheScray]

He's only 25.

 

[Iceman!]

Become my favourite player in the league this year and it is crazy that he is still so young.

Nailing his goal kicking the is the last thing he needs to really cement himself as the best player in the game. Kicked 9-5 this year so the numbers aren't bad but i still don't 100% trust him in front of goal yet.

He has everything else though.

 

[The Inbetweener]

Become my favourite player in the league this year and it is crazy that he is still so young.

Nailing his goal kicking the is the last thing he needs to really cement himself as the best player in the game. Kicked 9-5 this year so the numbers aren't bad but i still don't 100% trust him in front of goal yet.

He has everything else though.

Has a bad habit of stabbing at it when really close to goal. One of those guys (similar to Naughton) who is better from further out.