Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has dismissed questions over Marcus Bontempelli’s fitness after the Brownlow Medal side endured a rare tough night in the season-ending loss to Hawthorn.
Dogs captain Bontempelli recorded just four disposals in the crucial second and third quarters at the MCG on Friday night as the elimination final slipped away from him.
The 28-year-old star desperately tried to get his team back into the competition at the start of the last term but the damage had already been done.
The Bulldogs ultimately lost 14.15 (99) to 9.8 (62) – their fifth playoff final defeat in the last decade.
Beveridge was repeatedly questioned about Bontempelli after he was largely ineffective during key moments of the elimination final.
But the Dogs coach praised Bontempelli’s efforts in the final quarter and refuted claims that prolonged time on the bench affected his performance.
“I don’t think he did… do you have any facts on that? He may have been on the bench a minute or two longer than expected, but he was fine,” the coach said after the 37-point loss,” Beveridge said when asked about Bontempelli’s fitness.
“He tried to lift us up in the last quarter, he scores a goal and is almost on the verge of scoring a second.
“He tried to lift our spirits in the last quarter, he scored a goal, he almost scored a second goal (a shot touched by his teammate Aaron Naughton near the line).
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has been angered by suggestions his captain was on the bench too long in their elimination final defeat to the Hawks.
Bontempelli was quiet in the second and third quarters and spent time on the bench
“That was the message at three-quarter time; after all our hard work (throughout the season), we have to go all in.
“We started that last quarter as well as we could but then we wasted a few forays forward where we could maybe have put a bit of pressure.
“In the end there was a big gap on the scoreboard and they deserved it.”
Bontempelli finished with 18 disposals and a goal in a midfield unit that was comprehensively outplayed by an exuberant Hawthorn side.
The Hawks dominated possession of the ball (150-125) and generated a huge advantage in attack entries (59-39).
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After leading by 12 points early in the quarter, the Bulldogs were outscored nine goals to two in the second and third quarters when the game was on the line.
“Everything we were pretty good at – and if you look at the key performance indicators over the year – has slipped away from us,” Beveridge said.
“What’s our part and what’s Hawthorn’s part? Credit to them, they were very agile on the pitch and put a lot of pressure on us.
“We didn’t handle the situation as well as we should have and they deservedly won the game, quite convincingly in the end.
“We’re as flat as the proverbial road, as you can imagine.”
Beveridge, the Bulldogs’ premiership coach in 2016, urged his players to “stick to the process” and remain united in the pursuit of future success.
“We have a strong environment, we are connected spiritually and emotionally, and there is a lot of care,” Beveridge said.
“So it is time to make sure that we get through the disappointment together and that we are determined, when we part, to take care of ourselves and start next year on the right foot.”