It’s official: four more years of the Bont.
In what will be music to the ears of the Bulldogs faithful, the skipper has turned his back on free agency to sign a contract extension that pledges his future to the Kennel until at least the end of 2029.
With the new deal ending months of speculation about his playing future, the 29-year-old said there wasn’t any doubt in his mind around staying at the Kennel.
"I’ve had a few different things happening - getting married in the off-season, opening a small coffee shop out in Kew - but ultimately it is no different to how I’ve dealt with other things in the past,” Bontempelli said.
“It’s an important decision to spend the right amount of time on.
"This Club means so much to me, it’s hard to put it into a few words to be honest. It is where I have grown as a man and spent all of my adult years coming here at 18.
“When I think about the person I want to become it has been influenced by the people I have spent a lot of time with at the Western Bulldogs.
“I owe so much from a footballing experience perspective but I think I really owe a lot of my maturing as a person and as a man to the football club.
“For me, it’s such a special place, the fans, the people that have supported me along the way. I’ve never not felt supported by our people here at the Club.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have had that for so long.”
Since being drafted with Pick 4 in 2013, the superstar Bulldog has compiled a stellar CV.
A six-time All Australian, three-time ALFPA MVP, three-time AFLPA Best Captain, six-time Charles Sutton Medallist, 2019 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year and 2016 Premiership player... with potentially much more to come.
Sam Power, Executive Manager – Men’s Football at the Bulldogs, said he was thrilled to have the deal complete.
“As a Club, we’re really pleased to lock Marcus away for another four seasons at Mission Whitten Oval,” Power said.
“Marcus has not only become a generational player for the Western Bulldogs but one of, if not the, most influential players in the competition.
“His leadership and influence over our group and wider club is phenomenal, continually setting the standard on and off the field, always striving to get the best out of players and staff.
“As a player, Marcus has impacted games of football for the past decade with his unique blend of skill, athleticism and thriving in the game’s biggest moments, rising to the occasion when our Club has most required it.
“His unwavering commitment to the red, white and blue has shone throughout his career and every person associated with the Western Bulldogs will be thrilled to watch that number four jumper run around for years to come.”
