Bontempelli’s arrival perfect timing

WHEN the Western Bulldogs were in need of a saviour, they probably didn’t know exactly what they were going to end up with.

In 2013, the Dogs had finished 15th for the second year on the trot and there wasn’t a great deal to look forward to.

Come November of that year and suddenly there was a fair bit of optimism in the air at the Whitten Oval when they selected Marcus Bontempelli with pick four in the draft.

Fast forward to today and ‘The Bont’ is one of the pre-eminent players in the game, a key member of the club’s drought-breaking flag and in the top echelon of captains in the AFL.

It was like the Dogs knew exactly what they were doing, especially if former skipper Bob Murphy’s comparison is anything to go by.

“Interestingly enough, he came to us at a really low ebb for the club,” he told Kane Cornes on SEN’s The Captain’s Run.

“I remember joking with a few teammates that it was almost like there was a computer program and we tapped into the computer what the team and the club needed and the piece of paper it shot out was Marcus Bontempelli.

“Good in the locker room, influential, incredibly talented. It became apparent to us straight away that he was a special player and that he was going to be a captain, and probably going to be one of the great captains.”

Murphy explained how evident it was that the smooth moving midfielder would one day skipper the club, but in order for him to flourish in the role, he did require some protection in his formative years.

“I became the captain soon after (Bontempelli was drafted) and it was kind of assumed that vice-captain Easton Wood would be the next captain. Easton and I had both had conversations that part of our job was to just shield Marcus for as long as we possibly could,” he continued.

“It takes a toll being captain and although he was the number one choice, we didn’t want him to have be the leader at 20 and captain for 14-15 years.

“The longer Easton and I could hold the role, the better it would be for Marcus and the club. That was the rationale any way.

“He’s a special one.”

Cornes believes we are “witnessing greatness” and firmly believes that Bontempelli will end up being the club’s greatest ever player.

In response to that, Murphy said, “It’s a big call but it’s not one that makes me wince or flinch.”

“I didn’t see EJ Whitten play, I played with Chris Grant, but not maybe when he was at his absolute peak.

“He’s just a very special player, he’s a generational kind of player.”

-BY ANDREW SLEVISON/ SEN