AFL 2021: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge addresses injury to captain Marcus Bontempelli
A knee injury to skipper Marcus Bontempelli left Western Bulldogs fans nervous following the semi-final win over Brisbane.
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Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he has a “a level of confidence” that captain Marcus Bontempelli will overcome a minor knee injury in time for this Saturday’s preliminary final.
Bontempelli fell awkwardly from a marking contest and twisted his knee late in the Bulldogs’ semi-final win against Brisbane.
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Scans cleared him of serious injury but Bontempelli reported soreness in the days immediately following the last-gasp victory.
Teammate Taylor Duryea told the media on Monday that the club would wait to make a call on the 2021 AFLPA MVP’s match fitness.
Beveridge said on Thursday he was taking a “glass-half-full” approach to Bontempelli’s injury ahead of the clash with Port Adelaide.
“I think it always comes down to the prospect and that hypothetical of, ‘Is the probability high that you’ll lose that player early in the game and have to replace him if he plays if there’s any risk of injury?’” Beveridge told SEN 1116.
“Usually, that’s associated with soft tissue injury more than anything if a player’s coming back what is perceived as a week early.”
Marcus Bontempelli trained away from main group this morning, but was moving well.
— Ayrton Woolley (@AyrtonWoolley) September 9, 2021
Run throughs, change of direction and kicking.
Watching this, you get the sense the skipper’s playing. @9NewsMelbpic.twitter.com/vZAeUu3fWO
Given Bontempelli suffered a twisted knee, the 2016 premiership-winning coach said the prognosis was different.
“With things like joints and soreness and some bone bruising, things that a player may be able to overcome … it gives you a level of confidence that they’re going to be able to play the four quarters,” he said.
“We’ll see how he trains (on Thursday) and how he goes about his work. We’re really hopeful that he’s going to be OK and if he isn’t, as we have all year, we’re going to have to spread the load and fill his role with someone else and believe we can get the job done.
“He’s an amazing player and leader, he’ll be a huge loss if he doesn’t come up.”
Footage captured on Thursday showed Bontempelli on his feet and training well.
“I think with what actually happened with him and being stepped on and the twist, I was hoping that he was going to be OK,” Beveridge said.
“I saw him walking around after the game and that gave me a level of confidence.
“When the scans came back and there wasn’t anything dramatically wrong with his knee, obviously we all breathed a sigh of relief.”
Beveridge said he would continue to consult with both the club’s medical staff and Bontempelli himself.
“The medics quite obviously have the say. I pretty much just listen and accept what the diagnosis is and what the prognosis is around return,” he said.
“But it doesn’t mean I don’t have a conversation with the player about how they’re feeling, about their confidence levels about playing the game.
“Marcus and I have already touched base around that and how he’s feeling and there’ll definitely be another conversation (on Thursday) about how he’s going and his confidence levels in his performance proposition on Saturday night.”
Bontempelli’s teammate Cody Weightman will miss the preliminary final, having been ruled out in accordance with the AFL’s concussion protocols.
Beveridge has yet to confirm Weightman’s replacement, conceding that the crafty small forward leaves big shoes to fill.
“He’s a big loss,” said Beveridge.
“The way he plays the game … with his aerial and his ground level play, he’s a real handful.
“But as I mentioned with Marcus, we’ve had players, whether it’s Anthony Scott, Lachie McNeil, whether it’s Mitch Wallis, Jason Johannisen … all these guys have come in and played critical roles throughout the course of the year.
“Again, we’ll need to spread the load.”
Originally published as AFL 2021: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge addresses injury to captain Marcus Bontempelli
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