“Everyone is going to develop at different rates,depending on their exposure. Jamarra,even these kids again[this year],have had[pandemic-impacted] interruptions with their final year before getting drafted. There is no telling what sort of impact that had on him and will have on others,” Bontempelli said.
“He just needs time,like every young player does,to continue to grow and develop and hone their craft. He is in a position that,obviously,is difficult to come in and completely dominate straight away with the maturity of some of the defences around the league.”
The Bulldogs almost certainly will have another young tall on their list next season for they are expectedto take father-son Sam Darcy in next month’s national draft. Darcy,who will be a rare third-generation player for his club,is rated as a top-three selection,and will provide athleticism and mobility. He may also be eased into the system by the shrewd Bulldogs coaching crew.
“It was funny,from one pre-season to next,it felt like he went from,obviously,a young footballer to all of a sudden this really tall sort of figure who looks like a super talent,” Bontempelli said.
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The Bulldogs endured a 2021 like no other,and could have been rebadged the Leyland Brothers through September,for they had finals in Launceston,Brisbane,Adelaide and Perth. They found a way to deal with stringent quarantine and pandemic protocols,and even unfriendly hotel staff.
Their determination appeared set to deliver the ultimate success when they led by 19 points in the third term of the grand final,when Bontempelli snapped a wonderful goal across his body,his third of the night,but the Dogs watched almost helplessly as the Demons booted seven goals straight,capping a 43-point turnaround in 16 minutes,and then went on to win the game.
Bontempelli,a 2016 premiership player andnow a four-time club best and fairest and All-Australian,said the defeat had initially left him “empty” and unfulfilled. He said he still felt like he “hadn’t quite got everything” he wanted from the season.
The Bulldogs have not yet re-lived that third term as a group,but Bontempelli said it was likely to be discussed when the senior players returned for pre-season training in December. However,he said it was important the Bulldogs did not “over process” the Demons’ rally.
The Dogs will need to defy recent history next year,for the last time a losing grand finalist reappeared on the biggest stage the following season was Hawthorn in 2013. It had been a common occurrence in the previous decade.
In the meantime,Bontempelli is focusing on another project close to his heart. He has helped pen a children’s book with co-author Fiona Harris,dedicated to the memory of his beloved nanna,Nancy,who was a major influence on him.
“It’s such a cool and special thing to be a part of … it’s a nice thing to be able to remember her and pass something on to friends and family and,obviously,my kids and my sisters,” Bontempelli said.