Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli says AFL players would be willing to play games right up until New Year’s Eve if it meant getting back on the park in 2020. 

With the future of the 2020 AFL season up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bontempelli is looking forward to lacing up the boots again - as soon as it’s safe to do so. 

“I think whenever it is, players would just love to get out there and be part of it and play,” Bontempelli told Michael Gleeson from The Age. 

“As players we are keen for action, no matter when. We would all be willing to spend the festive season playing in a grand final. 

“We are keen to play and we feel like we have got potentially an opportunity and a responsibility to bring some positive energy.

“People enjoy watching footy and we enjoy playing.” 

Bontempelli also said the Bulldogs players were looking forward to the next opportunity to atone for a disappointing Round 1 outing against Collingwood. 

“We felt like we didn’t get anything right - from the style we wanted to play, to how we wanted to move the ball,” he said. 

“Collingwood came out ready to go and beat us in all aspects. 

“We are so accustomed in football to being able to put a poor performance behind you, come out the next week and change the tone.

“But now you don’t have that opportunity, and from a mental point of view we don’t know when or if we will get it.”