Midfield trio Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley have been named in Herald Sun journalist Mark Robinson’s top 50 players for 2019. 

The Herald Sun’s pre-and-post season top 50 has been a talking point for many years, with Robinson inheriting the challenge from former chief football writer Mike Sheehan. 

Unsurprisingly, the Bulldogs are well represented after an impressive 2019 campaign. 

Bontempelli – or ‘Mr Smooth’ as he’s referred to in the countdown – comes in at number five, behind a top four of Dustin Martin, Nat Fyfe, Patrick Dangerfield and Patrick Cripps. 

Fellow 2019 All Australian team member Jack Macrae sits 12^th, as the number one ball-winner in the competition and number one score assist player among midfielders.

A breakout season from Josh Dunkley saw him claim 25^th spot in the count, as “one of the bolters of the season”.

Macrae was the only Bulldog to feature in 2018, this year moving up from 23^rd position.

Premiers Richmond were the most-represented team in the top 50, with seven players featuring. 

The full list is available here.