Where does Marcus Bontempelli sit in the players of this era

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Not at all, I named two walkups in GAJ and Franklin who I think can get in on just their playing CVs alone. The age spread between the players is 14 years; that is 80-110 HOF inductees at current rates, so approximately 8 to 11 legends at the current 10% max HOF rate, minus at least one or two historical spots for 6-9 legends.

Two or three will probably miss due to either poor coaching records or just getting on with their lives after football and not coaching. Good coaching records have strong weight in Legend status whilst administration, commentating/journalism and personal conduct all play apart as well.

In my mind they are all Legend worthy (Oliver TBD), but some will likely just not make it because their contemporary peers stayed with the game longer and achieved more success on the sidelines which they can't control. For example if someone like Petracca at his current record (future HOF) coaches two or three premierships in the future that might be enough to jump Gawn or Bont if they just go cycling and make coffee after footy.

All the players except Martin still have a chance to move into a walk-up player spot alongside GAJ and Franklin. Martin is probably already in the same tier as GAJ and Franklin, but I'll reserve judgement to see how unprecedented his finals record will be in another 15-25 years.
For context… there are currently 32 Legends in the HoF from over 100 years of football, across the four main state leagues up until the 1980s and the AFL since.

Legend status is only for football and coaching deeds. Administration, commentating, journalism and being a good bloke are not factors, although being a campaigner might see you disqualified.

I think you should study the records of the 32 Legends and have a re-think about what might be required to be awarded that honour.

While I agree that GAJ, Buddy and possibly Dusty might get there on playing record alone I think the others all might be some way off. Pendlebury as a two-time premiership player, 6xAA and AFL games record holder (potentially) might just need one flag as a coach. Neale would need another Brownlow and then a few coaching flags. Gawn, Dangerfield and Oliver would need four coaching flags.

Yes it could happen, but it is so unlikely for even just one of them it’s not worth contemplating.
 
Especially considering Bont played most of the game as a CHF, rather than in the midfield.

Why would a coach want his star midfielder playing in the forward line during a crucial elimination final, where he's likely to have significantly fewer touches?

That's a really great question for Bevo. A really, really great question.
Cos Beveridge is a Tetsa di Catzo
 

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Pendlebury as a two-time premiership player, 6xAA and AFL games record holder (potentially) might just need one flag as a coach.
I originally thought that too, but then I compared his record with that of KB's.

KB has the 5 flags as a player (but there are a few of them going around); both have 5 b&f's but Pendlebury has 14 x top 3 finishes and the 9 seasons as club captain.

I think if Pendlebury gets the games record, he gets in.

GAJ and Buddy get in on playing records alone, and whilst I'll die on a hill saying Martin's playing career doesn't stack up with those two, people will likely look back on the binary finals awards accolades and he gets in on that basis.
 
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Brownlow's be damned. I put him in front of Danger, Fyfe and Dusty.
Only behind GAJ,Buddy, and Judd this century.
In terms of talent, Bont may well be up there. But the record books will remember accolades.

There is no way Bont (1 flag) will ever be viewed ahead of Dusty (3 flags, 3 norms, Brownlow medal winner).

Danger and Fyfe you've got an argument for sure.
 
In terms of talent, Bont may well be up there. But the record books will remember accolades.

There is no way Bont (1 flag) will ever be viewed ahead of Dusty (3 flags, 3 norms, Brownlow medal winner).

Danger and Fyfe you've got an argument for sure.
It's an opinion business and that's my opinion.
 
In terms of talent, Bont may well be up there. But the record books will remember accolades.

There is no way Bont (1 flag) will ever be viewed ahead of Dusty (3 flags, 3 norms, Brownlow medal winner).

Danger and Fyfe you've got an argument for sure.
The Brownlow is an interesting one. It's unlikely he'll ever win one but possible with 2-3 years of his prime remaining.

Regardless, he's well and truly within reach of ending up with the most Brownlow votes of all time with the very real possibility of never winning one. He's 35 votes away from moving into the top 5 all time and 74 votes to overtake GAJ for most votes ever. 74 votes is easily attainable with 2-3 seasons of prime Bont (with the possibility of longer career like Pendlebury).
 
The Brownlow is an interesting one. It's unlikely he'll ever win one but possible with 2-3 years of his prime remaining.

Regardless, he's well and truly within reach of ending up with the most Brownlow votes of all time with the very real possibility of never winning one. He's 35 votes away from moving into the top 5 all time and 74 votes to overtake GAJ for most votes ever. 74 votes is easily attainable with 2-3 seasons of prime Bont (with the possibility of longer career like Pendlebury).
Before Bont, Scott West was our greatest Brownlow vote getter of all time and despite his podium finishes never quite won one (damn you Woewodin!)
 
The Brownlow is an interesting one. It's unlikely he'll ever win one but possible with 2-3 years of his prime remaining.

Regardless, he's well and truly within reach of ending up with the most Brownlow votes of all time with the very real possibility of never winning one. He's 35 votes away from moving into the top 5 all time and 74 votes to overtake GAJ for most votes ever. 74 votes is easily attainable with 2-3 seasons of prime Bont (with the possibility of longer career like Pendlebury).
Yeah no doubt he's been VERY unlucky. What I'm saying though, is even if Bont wins one, he's still not overtaking Dusty. The accolades gap is too much.

Also, Bont isn't even in the top 10 for average votes per game.
 
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For context… there are currently 32 Legends in the HoF from over 100 years of football, across the four main state leagues up until the 1980s and the AFL since.

Legend status is only for football and coaching deeds. Administration, commentating, journalism and being a good bloke are not factors, although being a campaigner might see you disqualified.

I think you should study the records of the 32 Legends and have a re-think about what might be required to be awarded that honour.

While I agree that GAJ, Buddy and possibly Dusty might get there on playing record alone I think the others all might be some way off. Pendlebury as a two-time premiership player, 6xAA and AFL games record holder (potentially) might just need one flag as a coach. Neale would need another Brownlow and then a few coaching flags. Gawn, Dangerfield and Oliver would need four coaching flags.

Yes it could happen, but it is so unlikely for even just one of them it’s not worth contemplating.
Agree that administration, commentating, journalism are not selection criteria, good bloke is but that is a recent change not worth discussing. John Kennedy Snr had three coaching flags and HOF playing career (no flags) the bar is both high, but a lot lower than you are suggesting for the Pendles, Gawn, Dangerfield, Bont, Oliver and Neale level of player (careers all still in motion).
 
I don’t believe in ranking players. It’s about tiers of rankings. He is in the top 1% tier of this era, easily. It’s a shame in some ways that he played for the Dogs and not another team with a more rounded list.
 
Bont for me is like Robbie Flower. As much as we don't value the Brownlow sometimes, champions who don't win one just don't seem to be spoken in the same conversation as ones who have (Pendles is the exception because Collingwood). I think he's one of the best players I've seen. I'd rate him over Dangerfield and he's spoken about as one of the best in the last 20 years.
Bont for me would be similar to a prime Anthony Koutafides.

Koutas best year was either 1999 or 2000. Sadly he did his knee in 2001 and wasn't the same. Still kicked on for a few good years.

Kouta got his Premiership medal early In 1995. When Carlton made another grand final in 1999, he was one of Carlton's best players.

Bont got a flag early in his career in 2016. Bulldogs made another grand final in 2021 and Bont is easily one of the dogs best players in 2021.
 

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Bont is not MK2 of anyone.

He is MK1 Bontempelli, Pendles was just the protype.

Dane Swan was a great player for 5-6 years but I'll take Bont.
Again.... Not trying to offend any Bulldogs fans.

If I was gonna compare Bont at his speak as a similar player, then Carlton's Anthony Koutafides back in 1999 or 2000 would be a fair comparison if anyone is old enough to remember.
 
Bont for me would be similar to a prime Anthony Koutafides.

Koutas best year was either 1999 or 2000. Sadly he did his knee in 2001 and wasn't the same. Still kicked on for a few good years.

Kouta got his Premiership medal early In 1995. When Carlton made another grand final in 1999, he was one of Carlton's best players.

Bont got a flag early in his career in 2016. Bulldogs made another grand final in 2021 and Bont is easily one of the dogs best players in 2021.
pretty solid comparison.
 
Again.... Not trying to offend any Bulldogs fans.

If I was gonna compare Bont at his speak as a similar player, then Carlton's Anthony Koutafides back in 1999 or 2000 would be a fair comparison if anyone is old enough to remember.
That’s a fair assessment, pity Kouta did his knee . For me Bontempelli has been a tier one player over a long period of time. Absolute gun , as good as Fyfe was in his prime , to me , he was never tier 1. His disposal by foot was very average .
 
That’s a fair assessment, pity Kouta did his knee . For me Bontempelli has been a tier one player over a long period of time. Absolute gun , as good as Fyfe was in his prime , to me , he was never tier 1. His disposal by foot was very average .
Fyfe was tier 1 or 2 or 3 solid years.

No Doubt Nathan Fyfes peak was 2013-15. Fyfe did deserve his Brownlow in 2015. Shocked he didn't win in 2014, Priddis won that year.

Injuries hampered his career since the end of 2015.

Yes I was shocked Fyfe won a 2nd Brownlow in 2019. Mainly because Freo finished 11th. But the dockers were in the finals spot 17 games in.

Most Brownlow medal winners are in teams that played in finals.

You do get the rare Brownlow winner where his team don't make finals. Matt Priddis in 2014 was one. But the eagles finished 9th with 11 wins.

No Doubt Priddis got at least 2 or 3 votes for every game the eagles won in 2014.
 
I rate Cripps as one of the best players of his generation, and I have Bont a smidge above Cripps despite the lack of Brownlows.

Both all time greats of the game though, will be interesting to see how they go as they start to decline in a few years time. I'd think the Bont will have far more longevity than Cripps just based on how they play but both should be able to go atleast another 4-5 years I'd think.
 
I originally thought that too, but then I compared his record with that of KB's.

KB has the 5 flags as a player (but there are a few of them going around); both have 5 b&f's but Pendlebury has 14 x top 3 finishes and the 9 seasons as club captain.

I think if Pendlebury gets the games record, he gets in.

GAJ and Buddy get in on playing records alone, and whilst I'll die on a hill saying Martin's playing career doesn't stack up with those two, people will likely look back on the binary finals awards accolades and he gets in on that basis.
I think he will be a walk up even without the games record, he holds quite a few other growing statistical records. Depending on the way the game goes in the next decades he may never be surpassed in some if there are reduced minutes or games.

My understanding is that he wants to coach as well and noting his ability to read the game, I'd be surprised if he is not a good one. I'd hope the Dogs would grab him first chance as an assistant, but I suspect he will have a lot of options.
 
Fyfe was tier 1 or 2 or 3 solid years.

No Doubt Nathan Fyfes peak was 2013-15. Fyfe did deserve his Brownlow in 2015. Shocked he didn't win in 2014, Priddis won that year.

Injuries hampered his career since the end of 2015.

Yes I was shocked Fyfe won a 2nd Brownlow in 2019. Mainly because Freo finished 11th. But the dockers were in the finals spot 17 games in.

Most Brownlow medal winners are in teams that played in finals.

You do get the rare Brownlow winner where his team don't make finals. Matt Priddis in 2014 was one. But the eagles finished 9th with 11 wins.

No Doubt Priddis got at least 2 or 3 votes for every game the eagles won in 2014.
Fyfe was absolutely Tier 1.

Sure his kicking wasn't as good as Bont, but he had other areas of his game that just made him an impossible matchup. Without injuries he was like a faster and more athletic Cripps.
 
I originally thought that too, but then I compared his record with that of KB's.

KB has the 5 flags as a player (but there are a few of them going around); both have 5 b&f's but Pendlebury has 14 x top 3 finishes and the 9 seasons as club captain.

I think if Pendlebury gets the games record, he gets in.

GAJ and Buddy get in on playing records alone, and whilst I'll die on a hill saying Martin's playing career doesn't stack up with those two, people will likely look back on the binary finals awards accolades and he gets in on that basis.
Pendles being elevated to Legend status on playing career alone would not be controversial, but is not a given IMHO. A coaching flag makes it undeniable.
 
Yeah no doubt he's been VERY unlucky. What I'm saying though, is even if Bont wins one, he's still not overtaking Dusty. The accolades gap is too much.

Also, Bont isn't even in the top 10 for average votes per game.

Bont will be a legend of the AFL for sure.

6 x AA
3 x AFL MVP
6 x B&F
1 x flag
1 x coaches award

He’s 29yo.

Pendles has 6 x AA and 5 x B&F and won’t get any more. He also has 1 x coaches award, and zero AFL MVP (Leigh Matthews trophy). 2 x flags. 1 x Norm Smith

I believe Pendlebury will be awarded legend status and rightly so, and other than longevity Bont’s personal resume will be a decent whack superior to Pendlebury’s at career end so assuming he has another 3-4 quality seasons as a minimum, Bont’s a lock for legend status.




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Again.... Not trying to offend any Bulldogs fans.

If I was gonna compare Bont at his speak as a similar player, then Carlton's Anthony Koutafides back in 1999 or 2000 would be a fair comparison if anyone is old enough to remember.

Personally I'd argue that his peak has been far longer than Kouta's.

You can make a case for him being a top 3 player in the game since way back in 2017, and for the being the best player in it for 4-5 seasons now.

I just can't see him slowing down either. I'm not a betting man, but I'd put money on him maintaining his current level of performance for another 3 years minimum.
 

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Where does Marcus Bontempelli sit in the players of this era


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