Marcus Bontempelli is injury and illness free after weeks of starring under duress

A back injury and illness couldn’t stop Marcus Bontempelli and now he’s free of both his opponents should be concerned.

Finally unburdened by illness and with a “settled down” back issue that allowed him a full week of training, Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli looms as a scary prospect for Port Adelaide on Saturday having starred while under duress in recent weeks.

Bontempelli didn’t get on the track for a session last week due to a back issue before putting in a stirring performance against North Melbourne, racking up 35 crucial disposals and earning 10 coaches votes.

That came after the Bulldogs captain had his own version of basketball legend Michael Jordan’s “flu game”, kicking three goals from 30 disposals against Fremantle the previous week having been struck down by an illness that coach Luke Beveridge said had limited his captain for three weeks.

Polling the perfect 10 @AFLCoaches votes in 2024
1x: 36 players
2x: 11 players
3x: 6 players
4x: MARCUS BONTEMPELLI

@westernbulldogs@AFL

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) July 1, 2024

Beveridge said the lack of “adversity” facing Bontempelli this week could demand the coach find some other obstacle to put in his way given how he had performed amid myriad challenges in recent weeks.

“He’s trained all week this week so (his back) has settled down,” Beveridge said on Friday.

“It might be the first week in a month he hasn’t gone into a game with something weighing heavy on him.

“He’s come through some adversity again and we need to keep him switched on. We don’t want him getting all complacent.

“He seems like he’s on top of things. The period he was ill was over about three weeks … hopefully, he’s feeling fresh on Saturday.”

The Bulldogs will be without livewire forward Cody Weightman, who picked up a groin issue in last week’s win over the Kangaroos.

Cody Weightman won’t play. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Beveridge conceded it might not be a one-week injury for Weightman, who this week signed a new deal keeping him at the club until the end of 2027.

“It’s something he has had before. He did miss some footy last time actually,” he said.

“We’re just hoping it settles and he doesn’t miss too much football, but we’ll wait and see.”

Having staunchly defended Weightman earlier this week amid criticism he had played for free kicks against the Kangaroos, Beveridge said it was important to “have a think” about players as people too.

“With the players at large, whether it’s Cody or someone else, ideally we tap into what they are good at,” he said.

“Just in general around the commentary, I mentioned the word respect, on a personal level for players, because I think with the scrutiny the players are exposed to … it’s quite extreme.

“For us who are in the game … have a think about the player and the personal aspect of what they do. I think that’s a generalised attitude towards it.

“I’ll always go into protection mode for our players.”

Originally published as Marcus Bontempelli is injury and illness free after weeks of starring under duress