What would Bont need to achieve?

[bulldogtragic]

For it to become the VU Whitten-Bontempelli Oval and statue out the front?

Is it B&F?s say 8-10?
&/or Brownlow or two?
Premiership Captain and two time premiership player?
Other?


No one could get close to getting near the naming echelon of our oval. Bont could be the closest in some of our lifetimes. Just wondering if you were in charge of the decision, what criteria you would have on him to bestow him the honour to sit as an equal with EJ?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think another premiership would do it. The brownlow/umpires award is bogus

[azabob]

BT this thread will get some love, get some hate, get some controversy…

Not sure I will be bias enough to participate.

I didn’t see EJ play only seen the highlights and heard the stories. It seems he was our only shining light for a long long time.

Marcus Bontempelli is the best player I’ve seen pull on the red, white and blue. He is our modern day hero. Without him the 2016 flag does not happen.

Why isn’t Bontempelli rated along side EJ now?

[bulldogtragic]

BT this thread will get some love, get some hate, get some controversy…

Not sure I will be bias enough to participate.

I didn’t see EJ play only seen the highlights and heard the stories. It seems he was our only shining light for a long long time.

Marcus Bontempelli is the best player I’ve seen pull on the red, white and blue. He is our modern day hero. Without him the 2016 flag does not happen.

Why isn’t Bontempelli rated along side EJ now?

Because it’s currently called the VU Whitten Oval, not the VU Whitten-Bontempelli Oval.

I’m just here for the clicks. GVGjr pays well.

[GVGjr]

For it to become the VU Whitten-Bontempelli Oval and statue out the front?

Is it B&F?s say 8-10?
&/or Brownlow or two?
Premiership Captain and two time premiership player?
Other?


No one could get close to getting near the naming echelon of our oval. Bont could be the closest in some of our lifetimes. Just wondering if you were in charge of the decision, what criteria you would have on him to bestow him the honour to sit as an equal with EJ?

He's almost there but this would help

One club player so he must sign the next deal
Being the captain for another flag, being a part of a successful club is important
Being a better leader and dragging others to his standard

Much like Whitten the AFL had to change rules to curb Bont's influence ie Flick pass vs 3rd man up

Now coaching the club would send him over the top. :)

[bulldogtragic]

He's almost there but this would help

One club player so he must sign the next deal
Being the captain for another flag, being a part of a successful club is important
Being a better leader and dragging others to his standard

Much like Whitten the AFL had to change rules to curb Bont's influence ie Flick pass vs 3rd man up

Now coaching the club would send him over the top. :)

If things go pear shaped, sack Bevo, pocket the head coach salary for assistants and make Bont Captain/Coach?

I love it!

[chef]

I think the Bont would have to build his legend after retirement too, Mr Football was more than just a great player.

EJ was such a massive figure, it seems state of orgin football died with him.

[Dazza]

Another premiership and break 300+ gameswould probably do it.

[GVGjr]

Another premiership and break 300+ gameswould probably do it.

That would go close, welcome back Dazza.

[Mofra]

He'll get the (former EJ Whitten) stand named after him as long as he stays a one-club player.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Bevo is the greatest coach in our history and attracts all sorts of vitriol on social media

[Stevo]

Based on what I know the Bont is still a long way off Whitten. Id be happy to be proven wrong.

[jeemak]

Ch9 couldn't even rate Bont as the best no. 4 draft pick of all time.

Name a stand after him. Leave the Whitten Oval as it is.

[The Doctor]

For it to become the VU Whitten-Bontempelli Oval and statue out the front?

Is it B&F?s say 8-10?
&/or Brownlow or two?
Premiership Captain and two time premiership player?
Other?


No one could get close to getting near the naming echelon of our oval. Bont could be the closest in some of our lifetimes. Just wondering if you were in charge of the decision, what criteria you would have on him to bestow him the honour to sit as an equal with EJ?

He needs to win the Buster Beazer award! That will do it.

[doggiesin08]

Ch9 couldn't even rate Bont as the best no. 4 draft pick of all time.

Name a stand after him. Leave the Whitten Oval as it is.
Who did they possibly have instead?

[soupman]

Who did they possibly have instead?

I'm assuming Matera or Pavlich?

[angelopetraglia]

If Bont ends his career as a Premiership Captain and Brownlow Medalist I would be happy to rename the football club. We would from that day forward be known as the Bontempelli Football Club (on the back of our jumper we would have FFC and WBFC).

[hujsh]

Realistically it can't really happen. Whitten's legend only grew after he retired and his personality and media presence was a big part of that. Even if Bont was as talented as Whitten in that area the media landscape is too fragmented now for that to happen.

If it did happen it would be when we're all dead except for the youngest of us and our kids/grandkids are left to talk about how we thought he was the best ever. Way better than King Rexidonius, Garry Abblett the 8th or FM3X (Football Machine model 3000), the current greatest players, could ever hope to be.

[1eyedog]

BT this thread will get some love, get some hate, get some controversy?

Not sure I will be bias enough to participate.

I didn?t see EJ play only seen the highlights and heard the stories. It seems he was our only shining light for a long long time.

Marcus Bontempelli is the best player I?ve seen pull on the red, white and blue. He is our modern day hero. Without him the 2016 flag does not happen.

Why isn?t Bontempelli rated along side EJ now?

Because EJ was in the AFL's Team of the Century. Will Bont be in this at the end of his career? Actually not only was EJ listed in the AFL's Team of the Century, he was the Captain. The Captain of the AFL's Team of the Century. The best Captain across 100 years of football. Good luck trying to top that.

Bloke was top 5 of the Greatest players to have ever played the game.

[jeemak]

Who did they possibly have instead?


I'm assuming Matera or Pavlich?

Pavlich. And I think at this point that's probably fair enough. The guy kicked 700 goals across 353 games in a side that was often ordinary and a bit like Grant, many games in the back half/ away from goal.

In five years time I this he'll have overtaken him.

[jeemak]

Because EJ was in the AFL's Team of the Century. Will Bont be in this at the end of his career? Actually not only was EJ listed in the AFL's Team of the Century, he was the Captain. The Captain of the AFL's Team of the Century. The best Captain across 100 years of football. Good luck trying to top that.

Bloke was top 5 of the Greatest players to have ever played the game.

EJ is in the same conversation as Matthews, Carey, GAs/ GAj etc. etc. etc. Bont won't be considered the best of his generation most likely.

[hujsh]

EJ is in the same conversation as Matthews, Carey, GAs/ GAj etc. etc. etc. Bont won't be considered the best of his generation most likely.

Who would be considered best do you think? Dusty?

[jeemak]

Who would be considered best do you think? Dusty?

I think so, depending on how narrowly you define his era.

Then you have Dangerfield, Fyffe, and a whole bunch of Collingwood supporters who think Pendlebury is better, with Nick Daicos already elite and probably crossing over with him for six or more years and at this rate likely to overtake him.

[Sedat]

I think so, depending on how narrowly you define his era.

Then you have Dangerfield, Fyffe, and a whole bunch of Collingwood supporters who think Pendlebury is better, with Nick Daicos already elite and probably crossing over with him for six or more years and at this rate likely to overtake him.
He will certainly overtake him in the "frees for" stat.

Dusty is the greatest player of this century so far - he even has Buddy and Ablett Jnr covered, let alone the others mentioned above (who he is comfortably ahead of IMO). One of my favourite ever non-Bulldogs moments was in the 2020 GF when Dusty turned Danger inside out in the forward pocket and made him eat dirt on his way to icing the game, winning a 3rd flag and getting a 3rd Norm Smith. If he and half the team didn't have food poisoning in the lead-up to the 2018 PF, they would have likely won 4 in 4.

Speaking of Danger, apparently he and Geelong won a flag in 2022, but they didn't win jack shit in the Greek Islands where I was at the time. I'll keep pretending it was a scurrilous rumour that never eventuated.

[Bulldog Joe]

So to match Dusty as best of his generation Bont needs to win a few Norm Smiths and carry us to some flags.

Personally I would be happy if we can get some multiple flags through the remainder of his career.

[jazzadogs]

I think to get the oval, Bont would need to come back and coach for a few years after his 300+ game premiership captain career was over, as well as some time on the board. A lifetime of contributions to the club.

Even getting a stand seems like a lot. What does our games record holder Brad Johnson get?

[bulldogtragic]

I think to get the oval, Bont would need to come back and coach for a few years after his 300+ game premiership captain career was over, as well as some time on the board. A lifetime of contributions to the club.

Even getting a stand seems like a lot. What does our games record holder Brad Johnson get?

A golf cart reference for life.