No stranger to a Charles Sutton Medal, six-time winner Marcus Bontempelli would rewrite the history books if he was to win his seventh next month.
The 29-year-old currently sits just one behind Club icon Scott West (seven) and is well and truly in the mix to square the ledger.
Despite missing the first five games with a calf complaint, Bontempelli hit the ground running in his first outing of the campaign, collecting 30 disposals, eight clearances and two goals against the Saints.
He continued to notch up 20 disposals or more across his next six games, before a 36-disposal, three-goal performance against Richmond in the Club’s Kidzmania match.
A week later in Round 16, Bontempelli he played his 250th match in the red, white and blue, enjoying a milestone win against Sydney with 18 disposals, four clearances and a goal at the SCG.
A season-high 37 possessions came against Adelaide in Round 18, registering 33, 31 and 33 disposals respectively across the final three games of the home-and-away season.
Bontempelli finished the 2024 AFL season with career-best numbers, averaging 27.1 disposals (18th across the league), 6.3 clearances (ranked elite) and 9.1 score involvements from 18 games, again proving himself as one of the team’s most reliable performers.
His consistency is further highlighted by nine podium finishes across his playing career, with 2022 marking the only season he didn’t poll in the Top 3.
Charles Sutton Medal history:
Charles Sutton Medallist – 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Doug Hawkins Medallist (second place) – 2020
Gary Dempsey Medallist (third place) – 2015, 2018
John van Groningen Award – 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Bruce Wilkinson Winner (AFL Trainers Award) – 2021
Scott West Most Courageous Player – 2020
Chris Grant Best First Year Player – 2014
John Schultz Community Award – 2016
