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

[Hoges64]

Very clever...

 

[JohnnySteel]

Really hope his run and ours continues. He deserves a Brownlow. Let’s hope he storms home.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Scotch N Coke Monatore]

I like Bonts current hairstyle. It looks a bit 70's Al Pacino or De Niro. It is, in my opinion, a much better look than his previous cut, which I understand is called "the Edgar".

 

[SPower]

Yes , said to Mrs Stevie a week or so ago that our Marcus has an extra inch of hair!!

 

[Scotch N Coke Monatore]

Yes , said to Mrs Stevie a week or so ago that our Marcus has an extra inch of hair!!

Yep, much better now that the edgar has grown out.

 

[Sentinel]

 

[CDBulldog]

Nephew’s footy team had a special visitor at tonight’s training. They even participated in some training drills - not surprisingly the boys were stoked….

 

[Freshwater]

Nephew’s footy team had a special visitor at tonight’s training. They even participated in some training drills - not surprisingly the boys were stoked….
View attachment 2023661

That’s is gold. Some of those kids will remember this forever. I can still remember all the players visiting our schools and training and they were all C graders, let alone someone like AAA grade Bontempelli.
I grew up in Kingsville and Hoppers Crossing and believe it or not Hoppers was in Geelong’s zone back in the 70’s early 80’s and we’d get Geelong players.

 

[conrad_437]

I was still in primary school when Barry Hall came by. Pretty sure it wasn't long after he nearly killed Scott Thompson in a headlock and one of the kids had the gall to ask him about it. From memory he took it well and was quite diplomatic

 

[Iamspock]

Nephew’s footy team had a special visitor at tonight’s training. They even participated in some training drills - not surprisingly the boys were stoked….
View attachment 2023661

I remember when Ryan Griffen came to our son's training night many years ago, and was asked whether he would say at the Bulldogs, he said yes, always,....next minute..... So, hopefully nobody asked those boys if they were staying...

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

Has there been a multi call video of his goal posted anywhere?!

 

[Sharpiesadog]

I remember when Ryan Griffen came you our son's training night many years ago, and was asked whether he would say at the Bulldogs, he said yes, always,....next minute..... So, hopefully nobody asked those boys if they were staying...

Some Melbourne players came to my sons jfc around 2013. One of the kids asked why they were so bad, Mark Jamar calmly replied ‘Because our coach is terrible.’ Got a huge laugh from all the dads there.

 

[Next Waiting]

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1153834...rcus-bontempellis-seasons-rank-among-greatest

 

[bresker]

How great were the soccer skills in deftly trapping the ball when beating those 3 Freo players . I reckon Bont could curl a free kick from 30 yards round the wall.

 

[TiAn_]

Leading the league in contested knock ons and second in smothers. Absolute superstar that still does all the little 1%ers better than anyone else.

 

[dogwatch]

How great were the soccer skills in deftly trapping the ball when beating those 3 Freo players . I reckon Bont could curl a free kick from 30 yards round the wall.

I noticed that too. You are the first one that I have seen commenting on it.

I don't think I've seen anyone doing that sort of manoeuvre in an AFL game before. He knew he had a defender at either side so if he stooped and went for the ball with his hands they would have tackled him. Instead he held them out by staying upright and tapped it with his left foot to give himself the jump on his opponents enabling him to step sideways and run clear.

Also it could only have been done by an agile big-bodied player. Someone like Gallagher or Sanders - even Libba or Treloar - would have been bumped or harried off the ball. That might be why we seldom see that sort of thing.

Incredible presence of mind.

 

[bresker]

Mark Viduka would have applauded. Get your big body between the defender and the ball. Trap, turn, shoot, goal.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Mark Viduka would have applauded. Get your big body between the defender and the ball. Trap, turn, shoot, goal.

Is video of that goal available, apart from on the replay of the game?

Answered my own question

 

[dogwatch]

Did anyone know the Bont has a background in basketball soccer?

 

[TiAn_]

I noticed that too. You are the first one that I have seen commenting on it.

I don't think I've seen anyone doing that sort of manoeuvre in an AFL game before. He knew he had a defender at either side so if he stooped and went for the ball with his hands they would have tackled him. Instead he held them out by staying upright and tapped it with his left foot to give himself the jump on his opponents enabling him to step sideways and run clear.

Also it could only have been done by an agile big-bodied player. Someone like Gallagher or Sanders - even Libba or Treloar - would have been bumped or harried off the ball. That might be why we seldom see that sort of thing.

Incredible presence of mind.

Hairy Garry highlighted that on On the Couch.

 

[dogwatch]

Is video of that goal available, apart from on the replay of the game?

Answered my own question

Just noticed he was celebrating the goal even as he was hitting the ground. Like it was a foregone conclusion that it was going through.

I suppose swinging around and snapping with his left foot over his right shoulder from a 40 degree angle while being chased by two blokes was the easy bit.

 

[Next Waiting]

I noticed that too. You are the first one that I have seen commenting on it.

I don't think I've seen anyone doing that sort of manoeuvre in an AFL game before. He knew he had a defender at either side so if he stooped and went for the ball with his hands they would have tackled him. Instead he held them out by staying upright and tapped it with his left foot to give himself the jump on his opponents enabling him to step sideways and run clear.

Also it could only have been done by an agile big-bodied player. Someone like Gallagher or Sanders - even Libba or Treloar - would have been bumped or harried off the ball. That might be why we seldom see that sort of thing.

Incredible presence of mind.

Skills aside, I think this is actually what separates him. To instinctively know what is the correct option in any given situation (and sometimes the options are available only to him in terms of capacity to execute) and then to execute under pressure.

I was thinking a little bit about the accolades he might receive when he retires and how he might be compared to other greats (his greatness is not in question). I think what opponents will likely say is that he was so skilled and such a natural footballer with an imposing physique, that he could actually play (if required) every position on the ground to such a level that he would make the AA team in that position. (Maybe ruck would be a stretch but it's only a maybe).

I can't think of another player, past or present, that could do that.

 

[dogwatch]

Skills aside, I think this is actually what separates him. To instinctively know what is the correct option in any given situation (and sometimes the options are available only to him in terms of capacity to execute) and then to execute under pressure.

I was thinking a little bit about the accolades he might receive when he retires and how he might be compared to other greats (his greatness is not in question). I think what opponents will likely say is that he was so skilled and such a natural footballer with an imposing physique, that he could actually play (if required) every position on the ground to such a level that he would make the AA team in that position. (Maybe ruck would be a stretch but it's only a maybe).

I can't think of another player, past or present, that could do that.

I do remember one player described that way ... EJ Whitten.

An appropriate comparison.

 

[Next Waiting]

I do remember one player described that way ... EJ Whitten.

An appropriate comparison.

Your memory does go back a lot further than mine

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Is video of that goal available, apart from on the replay of the game?

Answered my own question

That 200th game video showing at the end was interesting too. I hadn’t seen it before (or I’d forgotten more likely ).