He’s the best player in the AFL, but Marcus Bontempelli has signed a new four-year deal worth about $5.4 million, accepting millions less than would have been available if he’d left the Western Bulldogs, and on terms inferior to those thrown at uncontracted emerging stars.
The Dogs captain, who turns 30 in November, will earn about $1.35 million a year for the next four years after recommitting to the club.
The Western Bulldogs have secured Marcus Bontempelli for a further four years.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Bontempelli never contemplated leaving the Bulldogs, so did not test the market, but three industry sources, who declined to be named in order to speak openly, all said the champion midfielder would have commanded $2 million a year for at least four years and most likely a fifth year if he had done so. Clubs routinely pay more to prise a player from their original club.
The terms accepted by Bontempelli provide greater context to the enormous contract offers to players, including Carlton’s unrestricted free agent Tom De Koning, St Kilda’s out-of-contract ball-carrier Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and highly sought-after West Coast former No.1 draft pick Harley Reid.
St Kilda’s contract offer for ruckman De Koning is on average at least $350,000 a year more than Bontempelli will earn over the next four years.
It is as yet unknown what terms have been offered to Wanganeen-Milera to remain at Moorabbin, but industry expectations are he will command a salary in the vicinity of Bontempelli for the next two years.
Bulldogs stalwarts Tom Liberatore and Bontempelli have both played their 250th games for the club in recent weeks.Credit: Getty Images
West Coast, like St Kilda, is in a different situation to Carlton in that their in-demand players hail from other states, so they have to offer them heavy contract terms to remain.
Reid’s management has discussed a potential 11-year contract extension worth about $20 million for the 20-year-old to remain in Perth.
A six-time All-Australian, Bontempelli’s four-year contract extension will take him through until the end of 2029 when he will be aged 34.
Confirmation of his contract comes after he was on Monday night named the second-greatest ever Bulldog, behind only E.J. “Ted” Whitten, at the club’s centenary celebration.
“He’s all ours,” the club declared on social media on Tuesday morning, with a picture of Bontempelli and his signature.
In a club statement, Bontempelli said re-signing was an important decision to “spend the right amount of time on”.
“I’ve had a few different things happening – getting married in the off-season, opening a small coffee shop out in Kew – but ultimately, it is no different to how I’ve dealt with other things in the past,” he said.
“This club means so much to me, it’s hard to put it into a few words to be honest.
“It is where I have grown as a man and spent all of my adult years, coming here at 18. When I think about the person I want to become, it has been influenced by the people I have spent a lot of time with at the Western Bulldogs.”
Bulldogs executive manager of men’s football Sam Power said the club was pleased to secure Bontempelli for another four seasons.
“Marcus has not only become a generational player for the Western Bulldogs but one of, if not the, most influential players in the competition.
“His leadership and influence over our group and wider club is phenomenal, continually setting the standard on and off the field, always striving to get the best out of players and staff.”
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