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Dogs CEO addresses Bontempelli’s reported Collingwood meeting
Lachlan Geleit • April 24th, 2025 10:58 am
Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains has shut down reports that Marcus Bontempelli has met with Collingwood as he weighs up his free agency future.
The comments from Bains came after The West Australian reported that the Magpies were the ‘frontrunner’ to sign the 29-year-old if he leaves the Bulldogs, adding that the captain ‘has been in talks with the Magpies and would meet the club again in coming weeks’.
While Bontempelli is yet to put pen to paper with the Bulldogs beyond 2025, Bains says that’s not unusual given how he’s gone through contract negotiations previously.
Bains added the Dogs have “absolutely zero concerns” that the unrestricted free agent could leave the club at season’s end.
“Marcus has consistently taken his time with his contracts, and in more recent weeks, his focus has clearly been on his rehab and returning to play along with opening his cafe in Kew – Arthur’s Milkbar,” Bains told SEN Breakfast.
“But now that both of those things were achieved on the weekend, we're very hopeful of progressing things along, and I know Sam Power and Tom Petroro have been in constant discussion.
“So, we have absolutely zero concerns about him signing at the club, but we're hopeful now that things might progress. I think there are a number of things that Marcus was looking at, but I don't think any of them gave us or gives us any concern that he's not going to remain.
“He's a deeply considered and thoughtful man. He does take his time to process decisions and I'm sure looking at how we started and even perhaps how some younger players performed in his absence, all of that would have come into calculations.
“But as I said, none of that has given us any cause of concern, notwithstanding some of the false reports about him potentially having met with other clubs, which is categorically false.”
Another player that the Dogs are keen to re-sign is 25-year-old midfielder Ed Richards, a player who has gone to a new level in 2025.
With discussions progressing well between Richards’ management, Bains expects the club to soon finalise a new deal with the restricted free agent.
“He (Richards) is (close to signing) and conveniently he has the same manager (Petroro) as well,” Bains said.
“Those discussions are far more progressed, so our latest indications are that we're much closer to finalising an extension with Ed, which is obviously exciting for us all given he's taken another step with his form in 2025.”
The 3-3 Bulldogs next face the Giants at Manuka Oval on Saturday night.
Listen to Bains’ full chat with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson here.
