Jackson Macrae Biography

Marcus Bontempelli will captain the Western Bulldogs for a fourth consecutive season, leading an unchanged leadership group for 2023 with Jackson Macrae serving as vice-captain for a second straight year.

Jackson Macrae is set to finish his career as a one-club player after signing a five-year contract extension that will keep him at the Bulldogs until the end of 2027.

Marcus Bontempelli will lead the Bulldogs for a third consecutive season in 2022, with Jack Macrae serving as vice-captain.

Caleb Daniel, Taylor Duryea and Aaron Naughton are also in the leadership group.

"I think it's no secret that everyone knows how much I love the club and how proud I am to represent this club every week," Macrae said.

Jackson Macrae clinches Gary Ayres Award as the AFL coaches' player of the finals series despite failing to poll a vote in the Grand Final.

The prolific ball-winner polled 25 votes in the Gary Ayres Award in three finals outings before the Bulldogs' loss to Melbourne.

Lachie Hunter wins his first Charles Sutton Medal after being named the Bulldogs' best and fairest in 2018 at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

The 23-year-old finished with 191 votes, ahead of placegetters Jackson Macrae (190) and vice-captain Marcus Bontempelli (154).

Jack Macrae has a career-best performance in the Bulldogs' 14-point win over Brisbane, recording 47 disposals (18 contested possessions), 10 clearances, eight tackles and eight inside-50s.

It came on the back of 40 touches and a goal against Gold Coast the week before and sent his season average to 34 a match.

"He's working extremely hard and he's learnt through stealth on how to manage a tag or two. For him to accumulate like that becomes important, as long as he uses the ball well for us," Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said.

"His skill set is a bit different than the others.

"He's very dour and strong and tough in close, and that left foot can sometimes be unusual but sometimes quite deadly, and those hands are elite."

Jack Macrae signs a four-year contract extension with the Bulldogs that will keep him at the club until the end of 2022.

"It was an easy decision for me to recommit to the Bulldogs, because I’ve loved playing for the club and am excited about what the future holds," Macrae said.

"I’m proud to be on the verge of being a 100-game player at the club, and motivated to continue to improve my game every season.

"I believe we have a young and talented group which is capable of achieving more success in the coming years, and I want to be a part of that."

Jackson Macrae thought his goal to sink Greater Western Sydney had come with less time remaining on the clock.

Macrae converted a set shot with just under three minutes left, from about 30m out and only a slight angle to negotiate.

That score put the Dogs ahead by six points – a lead they never relinquished to break the club's streak of seven straight preliminary final losses.

"I thought there wasn't as much time left. I was a bit frustrated to hear there were a few minutes left," Macrae said.

"It wasn't the hardest shot in the world but I was pretty nervous.

"(It was about) backing my routine in, controlling what I can control and praying that it went through."

Jack Macrae signs a contract extension with the Western Bulldogs that will keep him at the club until the end of 2018.

"It was a pretty easy decision - as soon as it was put forward I was pretty keen to sign it and put it away," Macrae said.

"We've got a pretty tight-knit young group here."

After a standout year in 2014, Jack Macrae says he is still improving as a player.

"I'm working on a lot of things that I'm trying to bring into my game from last season. Not just being a player that gets a bit of the ball, but being a more influential player with my possessions," Macrae said.

"Also defensively really leading the way; it'll be something I can hold myself accountable to."

Tom Liberatore has been rewarded for his standout season, winning his maiden Charles Sutton Medal at the Western Bulldogs' best and fairest count at Crown Palladium.

The midfielder won his club's most prestigious award by a comprehensive 67 votes, ahead of second year player Jack Macrae.

"Firstly I'd like to thank my teammates," Liberatore said after being announced as the winner.

"Over my four years so far I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of blokes to be associated with. In terms of my development, the coaching staff have been great. It's been a great start to my career and I'm very appreciative of what this club has done for me.

"I'm obviously humbled to win this award."

After receiving some stern advice from Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney, Jack Macrae responds with 43 disposals against the Suns, becoming the youngest AFL player to have more than 40 possessions in a match.

"His strengths came out in buckets tonight, which we knew he had," McCartney said.

"We've never had any concerns with the player Jack will become, but we coach all our young boys firmly, but always with an encouragement."

Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney concedes he was "too honest" in his post-match criticism of young midfielder Jack Macrae following the loss to Geelong.

The 19-year-old has been one of the Bulldogs' most consistent performers this year, averaging 25 disposals a game, but was handed the green vest against the Cats at Simonds Stadium last Sunday.

After the 13-point loss, McCartney declared Macrae was lucky to keep his spot in the side, and said he wasn't playing team orientated football.

"Jack has been letting us down in some areas and he is well aware of those areas, [which] actually bobbed up again late in the game today," McCartney said after the loss.

"There are possessions and there is team accountability and there is defensive decision making that doesn't overload your teammates that you should make at the right time.

"Possessions are important but not at the expense of how our team functions."

Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney says Jack Macrae is starting to learn more about playing within a structure without tempering his football instincts.

"He arrived at our club with no idea how to find his man," McCartney said.

"He was amazed when we asked him to stand in certain spot at a stoppage. 'What do you mean? I just go where I want', he said to me.

"So I don't want to knock that out of him. But what the coaching group has been able to do is (add) that little bit of formality to his game."

After an impressive debut season, Jack Macrae has started 2014 in blistering form after collecting 31 possessions and kicking two goals in the Bulldogs' round one loss to West Coast.

"I think through the pre-season I've been building my form and my body and growing from last year," Macrae said.

"I'm more confident in my ability and position on the ground. It's good to play some consistent footy and hopefully it can translate into some wins."

Jackson Macrae sets his sights on becoming a tall inside mid after growing an impressive three centimetres since his arrival at Whitten Oval just 12 months ago.

"I'm about up to 190-191 now. So now height, hopefully I'll stay about the same, and get a bit bigger as well," Macrae said.

"It's about 10 kilos now since I got drafted a year ago. I think they're looking to taper that off a bit now. I'm about 84kg now, so I'll stay around there until the start of next year, and start to work it up over the next few years."

Jackson Macrae is the round eight NAB AFL Rising Star nominee after notching 25 disposals and 4 tackles against Gold Coast.

"It was obviously my best game so far, so I was pleased with that," Macrae said.

"Its very humbling to be acknowledged for my performance, but it also drives me to reach the standards of the great players who have been nominated before me."

Jackson Macrae makes his AFL debut for the Western Bulldogs at Football Park with 16 disposals (10 kicks and 6 handballs), 4 tackles and a goal in a 52-point loss to Adelaide.