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

 

[Lance Uppercut]

go well, Dys.

I'll never forget that steak he microwaved at the 'gabba

 

[brutus76]

Cheers Hepp - well done

Hope to see you Captain-Coaching the Parrots or in the EDFL next year

Thanks Worzel!

 

[zigipop]

Why do people think he was a poor leader?

Seemed incredibly well liked by the playing group, professional on and off the field.

Obviously his own form wasn’t amazing at the end of his captaincy. I’m sure people love the idea of a ruthless captain who doesn’t stand losing but when push comes to shove we were never close to competing on a talent level during his tenure.

Because he led the club during a period that we enforced no standards on the playing group. Under his leadership, effort, defensive work and team footy were all optional. The coaches were taken to task but the playing group and onfield leaders rarely were. In a side that featured Fantasia and Daniher types as “leaders” it’s easy to see why Dyson was the best we had to lead the group, but let’s not let his retiring be a catalyst to rewrite a period of sustained mediocrity by any objective metric. Squealing about loss of humanity in this thread ignores the fact that professional sport is a pure meritocracy. On that measure Essendon under Dyson were a failure.
So again….great servant.
Serviceable player.
Time was up.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I will also never forget when he dropped the F bomb twice during that On The Couch episode. Didn't even sound like a swear word coming out of his mouth. Awesome

 

[windyhill]

Obvious decision . Supporters been pretty hard on him so this will make them happy. I’m sad, love the bloke. Can’t believe he stayed after hird and others ****ed his career.
That’s what I’ll remember, staying with us in our darkest hour, when numerous clubs were throwing money at him.

 

[Ambrosia]

Because he led the club during a period that we enforced no standards on the playing group. Under his leadership effort, defensive work, team footy were all optional. The coaches were taken to task but the playing group and team onfield leaders rarely were. In a side that featured Fantasia and Daniher types as “leaders” it’s easy to see why Dyson was the best we had to lead the group, but let’s not let his retiring be a catalyst to rewrite a period of sustained mediocrity by any objective metric. Squealing about loss of humanity in this thread ignores the fact that professional sport is a pure meritocracy. On that measure Essendon under Dyson were a failure.
So again….great servant.
Serviceable player.
Time was up.

There's no doubt Essendon failed under Heppell's captaincy I just don't think his leadership or lack there of was a contributing factor.

Fantasia's issues were entirely physical there is no evidence he was a poor leader who didn't work hard. In fact if you look at how popular he has been with players and coaches through his career at multiple spots I’d say there’s a ton of evidence to the contrary

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

Give him Laverde's spot

 

[sup3rfish]

Cheers Hepp!
All the best and hope to see you running round Inverloch having a kick and a beer after

 

[zigipop]

There's no doubt Essendon failed under Heppell's captaincy I just don't think his leadership or lack there of was a contributing factor.

Fantasia's issues were entirely physical there is no evidence he was a poor leader who didn't work hard. In fact if you look at how popular he has been with players and coaches through his career at multiple spots I’d say there’s a ton of evidence to the contrary

I wouldn’t follow Orazio to the piss trough, but that’s another thread.

 

[VelvetSledge]

One of the very best blokes and leaders during a shockingly dark time in our clubs history.

Deserved so much more.

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

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.

 

[DERO]

I will also never forget when he dropped the F bomb twice during that On The Couch episode. Didn't even sound like a swear word coming out of his mouth. Awesome

My favourite was the look he gave BJ after the pretzels went flying. No words required.

 

[Mercurial89]

Lived out the boyhood Essendon dream of playing for his favourite team, recruited by his favourite player. Won the rising star award, Captained that same club.
Played in front of sold out MCGs on Anzac day and played 250 games at the highest level of the sport.

Gave the time of day to a little boy called H and gave him a reason to smile.

Waded through the darkest time in the sports history and had every right to hate everyone and everything, many of that same clubs supporters took this path.

Instead, he's a guy that accomplished all those things mentioned earlier and is regarded industry wide as a good bloke. Did it all with a smile.

We have had some good players come through this club, he might of been the best person.

Congrats Hep, go well with what ever is next.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Why do people think he was a poor leader?

Seemed incredibly well liked by the playing group, professional on and off the field.

Obviously his own form wasn’t amazing at the end of his captaincy. I’m sure people love the idea of a ruthless captain who doesn’t stand losing but when push comes to shove we were never close to competing on a talent level during his tenure.

I'm not sure what Hepp could control at the time so i wouldn't call him a bad leader but the fact we had such shit standards has to sit with him to a degree while he was captain.

Our club's standards have been dog shit for a long time. We turned into a ****in superannuation IT company following the drugs saga where players feelings were valued more than commitment to effort.

 

[Zach Package]

Immaculate speech.

Leaves with some fair wounds for someone that is pretty universally regarded as soft for some utterly bizarre reason.

Hope to see him down in Invy again with a big smile on his face not burdened by being the face of a terribly run organisation run by utter imbeciles that did absolutely nothing for him.

Respect brother Dys

 

[justlookingaround]

I think it's very poor form to project the failings of a club onto a young man who by all accounts was the only leader inside the place. Deserves better than what he's getting in this thread from people whose likely sole contribution to EFC is sledging its players on bigfooty.

 

[Runk]

There goes my heart.....

 

[Vander18]

Good player…..very good in his prime. Better human which is more important.

Gave all he had and was unlucky to encounter the most extraordinary circumstances and management incompetence during his career. Stuck fat with our club despite this.

Had his shortcomings as we all do, it’s not the time.

Thanks for everything knackers.

 

[Blind Turn]

Great overall career and was a superb footballer for the first half of his career. We have undoubtedly missed his direction in the back half. At this point it’s the only real void he will leave. We desperately need to have a defensive general stand up in the next year or two. It should be McGrath’s role as vice captain but considering the disorganisation and flakiness down there I’m not sure that he’s really demonstrating the tactical awareness a leader should have.

 

[rumply]

Never played a game of VFL.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Great overall career and was a superb footballer for the first half of his career. We have undoubtedly missed his direction in the back half. At this point it’s the only real void he will leave. We desperately need to have a defensive general stand up in the next year or two. It should be McGrath’s role as vice captain but considering the disorganisation and flakiness down there I’m not sure that he’s really demonstrating the tactical awareness a leader should have.

yep it was startling against crows how much we missed his leadership in backline, Redman/Ridley/McGrath all playing and not a clue between them at the death.

 

[Bjchan13]

There goes my heart.....

You dont need any more inspiration than that. We have to win for him.

 

[yodellinhank]

You dont need any more inspiration than that. We have to win for him.

The premiership flag?

 

[Loonerty]

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.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Thanks for everything Doise