Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli trains at West Coast Eagles HQ on New Year’s Eve

Marcus Bontempelli training at West Coast HQ - No Eagles fans, you’re not dreaming. Bontempelli was the biggest name among a host of Western Bulldogs players training at Mineral Resources Park on New Year’s Eve. The superstar skipper was joined by West Australian teammates including Aaron Naughton, Riley Garcia, Arthur Jones, Jason Johannisen, Lachlan Smith and Jedd Busslinger for a sweat session in Lathlain on Tuesday morning. With the West Coast club rooms in the background and a giant Eagle watching their every move, the group completed a tough pre-season training session while most people were still in bed. They avoided any awkwardness of a potential clash with West Coast players. There was no sign of any Eagles at the ground as they trained. It comes as AFL players enjoy a break over the Christmas and New Year period, with the Bulldogs not due to return to training until January 9. Bontempelli is spending the festive period in WA after meeting Canadian fiance Neila Brenning in Perth back in 2021 after the Dogs’ grand final loss to Melbourne. The 29-year-old also spent time in holiday hotspot Rottnest Island this week, sharing photos of the pair on social media. Naughton, Garcia, Jones and Busslinger all hail from WA and returned for the break to spend time with family and friends. Naughton is recovering from surgery and is on a restricted program throughout the summer. The sight of the Eagles logo would have brought back fond memories for Bontempelli who has recieved Brownlow medal voted in six of his last seven games against West Coast. It’s a familiar ground for many Bulldogs who trained at the venue in the lead up to the 2021 Grand Final at Optus Stadium. The Bulldogs will play one game in Perth this season against Fremantle on April 6.