to do but we have done it the 2024 aflpa most valuable player is Marcus Bonton pelly from the Western [Applause] Bulldogs B arrives the champ Bond P nonchalantly but so classy he's a star he's a superstar he's an absolute star he was unbelievable and he just seems to be getting bitter and bitter all the time Luke beverage the coach of Marcus from the Western Bulldog is here to hand over the honors the third time Marcus has won this award Marcus congratulations there's all sorts of voting but when you're voted by your peers I would imagine it's something very very special what's your thoughts on receiving this and well done to you thank you no no no doubt it is it's always hard to uh stand up here um in front of some of the the players in the room that that you lock eyes with the different points and obviously cross paths with over the course of the season um and yeah it'll never uh yeah it'll never mean U anything less than it does probably right now at being able to sit here and and like I said just soak in the moment but um yeah it's still still sinking in probably and it will be on that we watched you over the weekend I asked a similar question to Nick about improving we look at you we think oh well bont doesn't need to do anything differently but you just had your coach up here when he's speaking to you leading into the season half timee of a game what's he demanding from the skipper uh well there's no doubt I've probably entered um as an older player my my probably cranky era um where you start to uh emotions start to boil over a little bit different points as you know how important every sort of moment in game is so it's probably at different times just uh just to calm down um but I think most of the time you do is a always being a student of the game you're always trying to you know as Nick said look for for little aspects of your game that can hopefully improve but uh also collectively and then potentially move out of the way at some point for for others to to come through and and to start to take over so I think yeah you start to look for those opportunities as well where it's important for others to to start to carry the the team forward a bit and and you know the next uh the next phase is important I'm not sure you're moving over in a b Hur wow Ed Richards is playing in the Midfield now and uh yeah he'll be pushing me out pretty soon I'm sure he'd like to think something congratulations Marcus thank you very much um really quickly obviously from a a players perspective um you know as as Zach said it's incredibly humbling to to stand up here in front of you all here tonight so thank you very much for for those who voted um you know my my partner Neil who's in the room my family who as everyone does needs that enormous support throughout the course of the throughout the course of the season and season so thank you very much um the Western Bulldogs football club Luke beverage uh brandan laade uh all my teammates who make obviously your job a hell of a lot easier um all the way throughout my career so thank you very much and and to the pa uh and obviously Lee who I'm not sure he's here tonight but but receive the award again named in probably one of the greatest uh players ever is extremely hum humbling so thank you very much appreciate it