AFL Player #21: Dyson Heppell - Goodnight, sweet prince. What a legend! 🤙 - 24/8

[Lore]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 27, Highly Evolved

 

[fairbump_playon]

For much of his career he had a great rig

 

[crackers65]

Great fella with a 250 game career at the club he barracked for as a kid.
Not his fault he got drafted by the most incompetent club of the last 20 years.

 

[JT_the_Man]

He lead this club through a rough time. Never let anything get to him, was a great guy off the field. While it was obviously time, it’s tough to say goodbye. Deserved at least a finals win.

 

[TylerDurden]

Ripping player in his prime, and a legend of a bloke. I've seen the work he does for under privileged kids, and that's the mark of a great man.

 

[giveitime]

Very happy. Went on far too long.
Honestly I don't respect anyone at the club at the moment, and he's retiring as an utter failure.
I wish this wasn't the case, and I know I'm digging the boots in, but I dgaf anymore.

Keyboard warrior. Club dosent need supporters like you. Like the saying goes opinions are like arse holes everybody has them but dosent make them right.

 

[Efc1robbo]

All the best for the future Dyson. Thank you for your service. Buts it’s a no in terms of giving him a farewell game for me.

Give him a lap of honour before the game, do something cool for him. But to bring him in for a farewell game after not playing VFL just sends a horrible message

 

[RFCGloryJC]

Farewell to Dyson.
Always respected as a skilful player.
Essendon is amassing several talented assistants, like Leppitsch.
A real coup.

 

[BomberFan355]

Really hope he gets a farewell game this week. Even though I’d rather we lost the last two for draft position, I would be happy if we got up for his last game.

 

[ydc55]

I have two Dyson Heppell stories.
First one was at the 2010 draft combine.
I am walking in and I see Dyson walking in with Cameron Guthrie

29

Cameron Guthrie

Age

32

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.7

4star

K

8.2

3star

HB

9.5

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

2.3

4star

D

18.7

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

9.0

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

3.6

4star

CL

3.3

4star

D

11.0

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.0

4star

M

1.2

2star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.4

3star

just behind him walking in as well. Dyson turned around and said to Cameron- you not still tagging me are ya mate? Which was a reference to the TAC cup grand final that had just been played. Dyson showed friendliness and a sense of humour as an 18 year old kid. I think those qualities shined through his time at the footy club and helped in dark times.
My second Dyson story was it was a hot January day and I was driving my niece and her friend back from high point. We are passing a park in essendon and my niece screamed as Dyson was putting his dog in the car. The girls begged me to stop which I did and they ran to Dyson who spent 10 minutes of his time taking photos and talking to the girls. This was after a hard training session and just taking his dog for a bit of a walk. Those personal qualities shined through again.
As a footballer, Dyson got the most out of himself. As a young man he had better speed and was a good footballer who could run effectively through the midfield. I will never forget a finals game where he led Gippsland to a win against oakleigh to make a grand final. I had just started doing a bit of recruiting and he was really impressive.
Dyson lost his legs pretty early which affected his kick and speed.
Dyson is not an all time great footballer but I suspect he is an all time great person which perhaps was more needed during our dark times.
I hope and think Dyson will have a great post football life which he deserves.

 

[outersanctum]

well done on a great career.. hard not to feel that most of it was wasted due to Saga and such. Never thought he had the right edge to be a captain for success but was a good captain considering the situation he was thrust into.

On field he gave his best and watching his early highlights shows the talent he had. Is an undoubted awesome human and clearly loved our club so that is a huge tick.

Well done Hepp and may retirement give you more time to enjoy the things you love.

 

[Oraaaaazio]

Meeniyan/Dumbalk. Leongatha were just the Bleeder Club.

Incorrect - has family living there, his dad played there but Dyson grew up in Leongatha and only played for Leongatha. Didn't play for MDU.

 

[bennyg12]

Great man hope he stays at club in some compacity

 

[the PILL]

Thanks Hep for your dedicated service ... I'm sorry the club has been a complete shit show from top to bottom in you're tenure bud and you were made to do things that were well out of your natural scope...

I see your career as a complimentary bridge to the future and I'm glad you got to live the life of an AFL footballer for a full term mostly with that big cheesy smile almost never wavering along the way... ✌

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

I have two Dyson Heppell stories.
First one was at the 2010 draft combine.
I am walking in and I see Dyson walking in with Cameron Guthrie just behind him walking in as well. Dyson turned around and said to Cameron- you not still tagging me are ya mate? Which was a reference to the TAC cup grand final that had just been played. Dyson showed friendliness and a sense of humour as an 18 year old kid. I think those qualities shined through his time at the footy club and helped in dark times.
My second Dyson story was it was a hot January day and I was driving my niece and her friend back from high point. We are passing a park in essendon and my niece screamed as Dyson was putting his dog in the car. The girls begged me to stop which I did and they ran to Dyson who spent 10 minutes of his time taking photos and talking to the girls. This was after a hard training session and just taking his dog for a bit of a walk. Those personal qualities shined through again.
As a footballer, Dyson got the most out of himself. As a young man he had better speed and was a good footballer who could run effectively through the midfield. I will never forget a finals game where he led Gippsland to a win against oakleigh to make a grand final. I had just started doing a bit of recruiting and he was really impressive.
Dyson lost his legs pretty early which affected his kick and speed.
Dyson is not an all time great footballer but I suspect he is an all time great person which perhaps was more needed during our dark times.
I hope and think Dyson will have a great post football life which he deserves.

Thanks ydc55 for sharing those insights. Beautifully expressed and I 100% endorse the sentiments expressed in your post.

 

[ydc55]

Thanks ydc55 for sharing those insights. Beautifully expressed and I 100% endorse the sentiments expressed in your post.

I have been a bit critical of his play but never of the person.
Thank you for the kind words.

 

[VexOh]

Fans who are spewing that he doesn't get a farewell game are taking the piss.

Guy's been handed a 3 year farewell tour on a platter now.

We've been begging this club be ruthless for 20 years now & this decision is a small yet significant step in the right direction - cannot be dishing out farewell games when the season is still ever so slightly alive.

 

[bombreys]

Fans who are spewing that he doesn't get a farewell game are taking the piss.

Guy's been handed a 3 year farewell tour on a platter now.

We've been begging this club be ruthless for 20 years now & this decision is a small yet significant step in the right direction - cannot be dishing out farewell games when the season is still ever so slightly alive.

It just seems a weird choice not to give him one now, after playing him out of form all/most of the season (unless he didn’t want one).

We’re no worse with him in the side than we are any of Weideman, Kelly or Laverde.

I also wouldn’t exactly call the changes ‘ruthless’ - we lost to a club who had lost 17 away games consecutively - and we drop one player, a 20 year old.

 

[P Money]

I'm a bit torn on this. Absolute loyal servant to the club and as much as I think he should have been let go 4 years ago he deserves respect on the way out. BUT. Giving him a farewell game tells the playing group that the season is over. While we're all realistic and we know we're not making finals, I don't think the players are in that mindset. And nor should they be. Nate Caddy said he still wants to play another 6 games this season - that's where the players' mindset it at. I don't want the head coach telling them it's all over and let's be sentimental instead of choosing our best team and doing our best to win the next two games.

To me, this is the sort of cultural change we need. It's not being heartless and refusing to give an old stalwart a game out of spite or to look tough, it's making decisions that give us the very best chance at being successful, even if that means hurting some people's feelings.

 

[bommer16]

There will be something bf the bounce apparently.

 

[fishardansin]

He was a heart and soul player and had any success in his career stolen by the controversy a decade ago. Burst on to the scene as a first year player and was the kid of a team that was building towards challenging.

Stuck by us when he could have sought success elsewhere. It is a terrible look that he's not getting a farewell game for our last home game.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

i think that both things can be true: he does deserve a farewell game, but if we're still in the hunt and still a chance for finals, then he has to prove that he's worth picking over anyone else playing a similar role.

 

[Megabattimus]

Play him next week if he wants a farewell. Should've probably played him this week.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Phone]

the problem with the "well the season was still alive so we had to pick our best 22" thing is that the season was all but dead by the end of Dreamtime at the G, and if anyone actually thought that a team that struggled to defeat WC, North Melbourne and Richmond in the space of a month was good then they're a fool.

but putting that aside, the other problem is that we played jake kelly

29

Jake Kelly

Age

29

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

157.8

2star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.6

4star

MG

104.1

2star

D

14.8

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

6.0

5star

T

4.2

5star

MG

107.0

2star

tonight, soooooo.

 

[Stripes B and W]

I have two Dyson Heppell stories.
First one was at the 2010 draft combine.
I am walking in and I see Dyson walking in with Cameron Guthrie just behind him walking in as well. Dyson turned around and said to Cameron- you not still tagging me are ya mate? Which was a reference to the TAC cup grand final that had just been played. Dyson showed friendliness and a sense of humour as an 18 year old kid. I think those qualities shined through his time at the footy club and helped in dark times.
My second Dyson story was it was a hot January day and I was driving my niece and her friend back from high point. We are passing a park in essendon and my niece screamed as Dyson was putting his dog in the car. The girls begged me to stop which I did and they ran to Dyson who spent 10 minutes of his time taking photos and talking to the girls. This was after a hard training session and just taking his dog for a bit of a walk. Those personal qualities shined through again.
As a footballer, Dyson got the most out of himself. As a young man he had better speed and was a good footballer who could run effectively through the midfield. I will never forget a finals game where he led Gippsland to a win against oakleigh to make a grand final. I had just started doing a bit of recruiting and he was really impressive.
Dyson lost his legs pretty early which affected his kick and speed.
Dyson is not an all time great footballer but I suspect he is an all time great person which perhaps was more needed during our dark times.
I hope and think Dyson will have a great post football life which he deserves.

Hope you guys dont mind me posting my own DH story.
Few years back now, I was attending son's graduation, preamble is pretty boring, and his mother was attending to those things that needed attention. I noticed Dyson also looking pretty bored, he was there for his then GF's graduation.
Had the opportunity to have a chat, he was probably at the peak of his powers as a footballer. Has to be the least full of himself bloke you could meet, he was trying to be as invisible as he could. Just a terrific bloke, hope he goes out well next week.

 

[MiguelM]

He was a heart and soul player and had any success in his career stolen by the controversy a decade ago. Burst on to the scene as a first year player and was the kid of a team that was building towards challenging.

Stuck by us when he could have sought success elsewhere. It is a terrible look that he's not getting a farewell game for our last home game.

Pretty sad seeing him on the boundary like that.

I get playing the best side if you are still in contention but only if you are in control of your destiny, we were not. We still had to have 2 unlikely wins AND have other results go our way.

The fact we picked Weid is not picking our best team.

Should have played, at least give something positive to those fans that attend every week and have to endure our rubbish.