‘This will sting’: Thrashing shatters Dogs

BULLDOGS skipper Marcus Bontempelli says it will take the efforts of many to ensure that the squad moves on from Saturday night’s 74-point Grand Final loss to Melbourne.

The 25-year-old knows he will shoulder some of the responsibility of getting the Bulldogs back to a position to challenge again, having taken on the captaincy before the 2020 season. Bontempelli (pictured right) knows he will need to lead the team through the off-season and into 2022, but said others will need to chip in.

There wouldn’t be too many captains that have faced as much as what Bontempelli has had thrown at him since the role was passed to him from Easton Wood.

All clubs had to work through a shortened season due to Covid-19 in Bontempelli’s first season, including stints away from him, living in hubs interstate.

In his second, what initially looked like a return to normality at the start of the season, ended up with a travel schedule over the last few weeks that included flights from Melbourne to Launceston to Brisbane to Perth to Adelaide and then back to Perth.

“The endeavour has to be there now to bounce back, lick our wounds,” Bontempelli said.

“This will sting for a little bit, and try to bounce back, hat’s the key thing.

“We will walk away thinking we can get back here againt and change the story line.”