AFL 2024: Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli has ankle surgery

Superstar skipper Marcus Bontempelli is on crutches following post season surgery on his ankle but is hopeful of returning in time for the start of pre-season training.

Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli expects to be fit to start pre-season proper despite being stuck on crutches after ankle surgery this week.

The Dogs skipper felt sore while doing some early running post-season and suffered from some swelling before deciding to have surgery on Monday.

But the midfielder is set to be moving freely again at the end of the week and Bontempelli said he was expecting to be up and running again by his official return for pre-season on November 27.

Marcus Bontempelli expects to be fit for pre-season. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

“It was staying a little bit angry post-session, so coming back from my off-season trip we just decided it is better to act now than pushing it back into pre-season or season,” he told SEN.

Bontempelli played all 23 games for the Dogs this year, enjoying arguably his finest individual season and claiming the AFLPA MVP but his team fell short of playing in finals.

As a response, the Dogs remade the coaching panel around Luke Beveridge, adding in Daniel Pratt, Jarryn Geary, Alex Johnson and Matt Egan to work with the 2016 premiership coach.

The captain said the drastic changes were a way to freshen up around Beveridge.

“I think it is probably really hard to keep the same group together year on year and to obviously look for a different mix, different improvements, different opportunities in other guys is probably the way the club has felt like the need to try and help him and support him in his journey,” Bontempelli said.

“From all reports, all four of the guys they brought in so far are really good people and characters that can add a lot to our football club.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli has ankle surgery