Talk is cheap and it's time for the Western Bulldogs to stand and deliver.
That's the message from captain Marcus Bontempelli as the Bulldogs head into 2025 with high expectations, again.
The 2016 premiers and 2021 grand finalists have consistently been in and around finals without delivering in recent years - and Bontempelli wants that to change.
"That's been the goal every single season we step out on the field and then obviously it doesn't always play out that way, and there's different reasons for why that is," he said.
"But of course we want to contend. I mean, I think we'd be wasting our time and everyone else's if that wasn't our mentality.
"That's my attitude when I walk in the building every single morning, it's with the hope that we can play as deep as we can every single season.
"So the talk is cheap now because we've barely started, real preparations against other opposition is still a month or so to go.
"... Until we start playing and improving it, the talk's cheap."
Bontempelli and coach Luke Beveridge are in the final year of their respective contracts.
Questions over Beveridge's future loom over the season, but if it's bothering the coach Bontempelli isn't aware.
"I haven't noticed it at all, to be honest. I think he's in a really good headspace at the minute," he said
"He's coaching with great confidence.
"I think the group around him: Spang (Matt Spangler) and Daniel Pratt, Ladey (Brendon Lade), Matty Egan and our development coach as well, the mix has been really strong and definitely helped him a lot in his pursuit to be the best influence he can be on our team.
"So I haven't noticed any anything really out of the ordinary from him, and he just continues to be a strong influence on our group."
Bontempelli, entering his 12th season, was "comfortable" with where his own contract is at, noting he usually locked in his deals later in the year.
Meanwhile, there is "no real timeline" on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan's return to the fold with the forward taking time away from the club for personal reasons.
"We try and support him in the best way that we can, with football being the second-most important thing, his health and wellbeing being the priority," Bontempelli said.
Bontempelli had spoken "a little bit" with the former No.1 draft pick.
"I don't want him to feel the pressure at all from the football club or from my position (as captain), which can naturally just happen sometimes, if you're keeping tabs or trying to keep in touch," he said.
"So I just want him to feel like he's being supported as best he can. And I know he is, from top to bottom.
"He's continuing to sort of build through the current program he's in at the minute, and we all just want the best for him."
