Concussion grounds Eagles high-flyer, permanently; Bont about to get ball rolling on Dogs contract

“As much as this isn’t the way I would have liked to go out – I respect the decision. I’m gutted I don’t get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. “I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. Jeremy McGovern’s mark in the 2018 grand final that eventually led to Dom Sheed’s matchwinner. Credit: Joe Armao “I’ve always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid’s dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.” McGovern, whose intercept mark launched the passage of play that led to teammate Dom Sheed’s match-winning goal in the 2018 grand final, played his 197th and final match against Melbourne early last month.

The 33-year-old was subbed out in the second quarter that day after sustaining a concussion when Demon Jake Melksham nudged him forward in an aerial contest, resulting in his head crashing into Harry Petty’s back. Loading Match review officer Michael Christian cleared Melksham of any wrongdoing, but the Eagles confirmed barely a fortnight later that McGovern would consult the league’s concussion experts because of ongoing symptoms. McGovern will go down as one of the best key defenders in his era after West Coast selected the Claremont product with the No.44 pick in the 2010 rookie draft. He signed a one-year deal in February to continue playing into next season after winning his first club best-and-fairest award in 2024. McGovern’s 77 intercept marks in the Eagles’ 2018 premiership season remains the most ever recorded in a single year.

West Coast football boss Gavin Bell paid tribute to McGovern’s rags-to-riches rise. “To see ‘Gov’ come from WAFL reserves when he was drafted through to what he has achieved as a premiership player and five-time All-Australian, it’s just a wonderful example to our current players,” Bell said. “It didn’t start off easily for him, and he had to get to work, focus on his strengths and develop his game. Even to overcome the injury setbacks he has battled in recent years, to bounce back and become our club champion for the first time last year showed his commitment to getting the best out of himself.” Bont to get contract ‘rolling’ Andrew Wu

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is expecting contract talks with the club to play out smoothly, in a strong indication the superstar midfielder will not be going anywhere. Dogs fans cannot yet breathe a sigh of relief, but there is little chance of Bontempelli departing Whitten Oval any time soon. Discussions have begun between Bontempelli, 29, and the Bulldogs on a new deal that will likely see one of the greatest players to pull on the red, white and blue become just the eighth player in the club’s 100-year history to play 300 games. Marcus Bontempelli expects contract talks with the Western Bulldogs to go smoothly. Credit: Getty Images “It’s going well, obviously it’s getting to the point now where things will start to open up, those conversations will happen,” Bontempelli, who missed the first six games of the season due to injury and proposed to his partner last November, said on Friday.

“There was a lot going on in my life early on in the season and hence why I, no different to other years, took my time a little bit with it. Loading “Those conversations will definitely start to take place, pretty much as of next week. So the ball will well and truly get rolling with that. I see it going quite smoothly.” Despite speculation that Collingwood are interested in a blockbuster trade to move him across Melbourne, Bontempelli said no such offer had been relayed to him through his manager Tom Petroro. “That information never really came to me at all, to be honest,” Bontempelli said.

The Bulldogs captain was speaking at the unveiling of touch and track technology that allows blind and low-vision fans to follow the game live at a venue. Launched by the AFL and Telstra with technology company Field of Vision and Champion Data, the hand-held device includes a magnetic ring which moves across a tactile map of the field, mirroring the ball’s movement in real time. Visually impaired Western Bulldogs fan Shaun Keath shows club skipper Marcus Bontempelli the hand-held device that’s been created to help fans like himself follow AFL games live at the venue. Credit: AFL Photos The device uses distinct vibrations to mark goals and behinds, and developers are working on how other key plays, such as turnovers, can be recognised. Previously, fans such as Bulldogs supporter Shaun Keath, have relied on radio commentary and the kindness of friends and family to inform them of the on-field action.

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