Dog for life! AFL’s strangest contract saga ends as Bont signs Dogs extension

Marcus Bontempelli has officially re-signed with the Western Bulldogs on a new four-year deal that will tie the superstar skipper to the club until at least 2029.

The extension was announced on Tuesday morning and ends Bontempelli’s strange contract standoff with the club that dragged into the back-end of the season, despite no suggestions he was entertaining offers elsewhere.

It will keep Bontempelli at Whitten Oval until he turns 34, effectively making him a Bulldog for life in a key coup for Luke Beveridge’s side.

FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.

Bontempelli has signed a new four-year deal with the Dogs (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

“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,” Bontempelli said.

“It’s an important decision to spend the right amount of time on.

“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.

“I owe so much from a footballing experience perspective but I think I really owe a lot of my maturing as a person and as a man to the football club.

“For me, it’s such a special place, the fans, the people that have supported me along the way. I’ve never not felt supported by our people here at the Club.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have had that for so long.”

It comes fresh off Bontempelli being named the second-greatest ever Bulldog — behind only EJ ‘Ted’ Whitten — at the club’s centenary celebration on Monday night.

Bontempelli’s stacked resume includes six All-Australians, three MVPs, six best and fairests, and of course, that 2016 premiership across 253 AFL games.

“As a club, we’re really pleased to lock Marcus away for another four seasons at Mission Whitten Oval,” Dogs executive footy boss Sam Power said.

“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.

“As a player, Marcus has impacted games of football for the past decade with his unique blend of skill, athleticism and thriving in the game’s biggest moments, rising to the occasion when our club has most required it.

“His unwavering commitment to the red, white and blue has shone throughout his career and every person associated with the Western Bulldogs will be thrilled to watch that number four jumper run around for years to come.”

With Bontempelli’s signature secured long-term along with the likes of Tim English, Sam Darcy (both signed until 2029) and Aaron Naughton (2032), the Dogs will now turn their attention to retaining Tom Liberatore. Adam Treloar is also still without a deal for 2026.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge also re-signed at the Kennel earlier this year on a new two-year deal.

Click here to read article