‘No expectations, no disappointments, ’ so says the adage, and it's a similar attitude first round draft pick Marcus Bontempelli has brought to the kennel.
“From the start I tried to not have any expectations because I wanted to embrace it fresh,” Bontempelli said.
“I didn’t really want to put too many standards on things or anything like that to interpret what I thought it might have been like, I just really wanted to get amongst it and let it evolve.
“I think that’s the best way to go about it, because I have really just enjoyed the last two months and have really loved where footy has taken me on this path.”
After two months at the Western Bulldogs the 18-year-old is beginning to find confidence in his training and it is paying dividends both in the gym and out on the track.
“I have put on a little bit of weight already which is good because it helps me to compete a bit better with the bigger bodies,” he said.
“It definitely has helped me in the last two weeks or three weeks post-Christmas, being able to train with the main group because I can probably handle it now a little bit more.
“It’s going to be a tough midfield to break into but at the same time I am going to be doing everything I can to make myself improve but also my teammates.”
The Club’s coaching department has also made an impression on the tall midfielder, welcoming the direction and advice of the well-credentialed group.
“As soon as you walk in you start to already recognise the talent in the coaching department,” he said.
“You just have to sort of hear the names and you already shiver at how good these blokes have been.
“There’s a lot of talent moving through the blood here… it just keeps going, it just keeps expanding, so it has been amazing.”
Already impressed with Senior Coach Brendan McCartney from their initial meeting before the draft, Bontempelli said his hands-on and approachable coaching style is immediately paying dividends.
“[I have] a great respect for how he coaches and how personal he gets with players and I think that is a massive bonus for us.”
