Marcus Bontempelli

Marcus Bontempelli (born 24 November 1995) is an Australian rules footballer who represents the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). Bontempelli was drafted by the Bulldogs with pick 4 in the 2013 AFL Draft. After a successful debut season, he won the Best First-Year Player award for 2014 and was runner up in the 2014 AFL Rising Star award, finishing one vote behind Lewis Taylor.

Bontempelli was born and raised in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, the second of four children to father Carlo, whose heritage is from Caulonia, in the Province of Reggio Calabria in Southern Italy, and mother Geraldine (nee Hunt). Bontempelli has three sisters: Alanna, Olivia and Sienna, and is a younger cousin of fellow AFL footballer Nick Dal Santo. He was educated at Marcellin College.

Bontempelli made his senior debut in Round 5 of the 2014 AFL season against Carlton and received a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in Round 13 for his 22 disposals and one goal performance in the Bulldogs' win over Collingwood. In Round 15, Bontempelli kicked a remarkable goal tight up on the boundary in the final minutes of the match to give the Dogs a one goal win over Melbourne. Bontempelli was awarded the Club's best first-year player in 2014, alongside his AFLPA best first-year player award. He finished second in the NAB AFL Rising Star in the same year.

2015 was a good season for the Dogs as they made the finals for the first time since 2010. Although they were knocked out in the Elimination Final by the Adelaide Crows.