Marcus Bontempelli | |||
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Personal information | |||
Full name | Marcus Bontempelli | ||
Nickname(s) | Bont,[1] The Bont[2] | ||
Date of birth | 24 November 1995 | ||
Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria | ||
Original team(s) | Northern Knights (TAC Cup)/Eltham Football Club | ||
Draft | No. 4, 2013 national draft | ||
Debut | Round 5, 2014, Western Bulldogs vs. Carlton, at Etihad Stadium | ||
Height | 194 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Weight | 96 kg (212 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder/Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Western Bulldogs | ||
Number | 4 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2014– | Western Bulldogs | 240 (232) | |
Representative team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
2020 | Victoria | 1 (2) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of End of, Elimination Final 2024. 2 State and international statistics correct as of 2020. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Marcus Bontempelli (born 24 November 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). He has served as Western Bulldogs captain since the 2020 season, and was previously the vice-captain from 2018 to 2019.
Bontempelli was drafted with the fourth selection in the 2013 AFL draft. He made his AFL debut in the 2014 AFL season. He received a nomination for the 2014 AFL Rising Star award in round 13 of the 2014 season, placing second in the overall count at the conclusion of the season. Since then, he has been an AFL Premiership player, six-time All-Australian, six-time Charles Sutton Medallist, three-time AFLPA Most Valuable Player and a recipient of the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award. He was runner-up in the 2021 and 2023 Brownlow Medals. Bontempelli began playing junior football for Eltham football Club in Melbourne, Victoria. He played for the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup, a prestigious under-18 competition in Victoria. Bontempelli impressed scouts with his skills, athleticism, and leadership on the field, earning him a spot on the Western Bulldogs.