Retired #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

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

No angry pills involved. Zak has to find a new level just like anyone else. Why is it when someone makes a reasonable observation other have to come in with the usual "he is going ok for a bloke his age " ? That is fine but as a supporter i prefer to see the blokes improving every year. Reason the Bulldogs won a flag ? their players added a new defensive edge to their game.
No one is saying it can not happen but is has to happen sooner rather than later.

You're right, everyone is entitled to their opinion and your observation re Heppell was reasonable; but it wasn't reasonable regarding Zerrett. That said though, I think we can both agree that if any player takes their game to another level this season, neither of us will have a problem with it

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

No yes and no involved. The Dogs already had the quick game. Just look at their 2015 season. After being knocked out by the Crows they knew they had to put some time into defense as they could not just keep running the ball at all costs.

Maybe John wants to fix our scoring first and then add defensive layers later who knows.

 

[ant555]

You're right, everyone is entitled to their opinion and your observation re Heppell was reasonable; but it wasn't reasonable regarding Zerrett. That said though, I think we can both agree that if any player takes their game to another level this season, neither of us will have a problem with it

I can give you a tip. I never make comment here unless it is something i observed over a good number of games watching live and in replay. I want to see us as a great side again as all supporters do. However i will refuse to just go along if i can see something that stands out as an area that needs improving. There is nothing wrong with saying a 21 year old has to find a new level no matter how well he is going. I admire the bloke, he goes out of the way to improve his game, seeking out Judd and others but the simple fact is he is a team leader now so it is up to him to get better and lead from the front in all areas like i expect from Heppel.
When sides get a run on against us we are very poor. It is the one thing that will hurt us going forward. It is no unreasonable to expect our leaders to improve in that area and lead the way. Dyson and Zak are the future. It is most important that they can get right even more so that others in the side.

What is unreasonable to say Zack Merritt needs to improve his team defense as a leader of the side ?

 

[ant555]

Maybe John wants to fix our scoring first and then add defensive layers later who knows.

Matthew Knights says hello.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Matthew Knights says hello.

Cant believe he was our coach was speculated all morning on radio that Hardwick had the job but nope.

The only good thing I enjoyed during the Knights years was Remiers and Lovett ripping Carlton a newy and Welsh destroying Judd.

 

[Bombermania]

On Hepp being the captain, considering the players have chosen him tells me that they are happy with how he goes about his footy and how he goes about training, I'm not worried by his defensive work as his more of a get things rolling our way sort, he is still only a young player so his best footy is still ahead of him so I'm pretty confidence that he is up to the job.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

I can give you a tip. I never make comment here unless it is something i observed over a good number of games watching live and in replay. I want to see us as a great side again as all supporters do. However i will refuse to just go along if i can see something that stands out as an area that needs improving. There is nothing wrong with saying a 21 year old has to find a new level no matter how well he is going. I admire the bloke, he goes out of the way to improve his game, seeking out Judd and others but the simple fact is he is a team leader now so it is up to him to get better and lead from the front in all areas like i expect from Heppel.
When sides get a run on against us we are very poor. It is the one thing that will hurt us going forward. It is no unreasonable to expect our leaders to improve in that area and lead the way. Dyson and Zak are the future. It is most important that they can get right even more so that others in the side.

What is unreasonable to say Zack Merritt needs to improve his team defense as a leader of the side ?

Didnt say it was unreasonable for any player to develop further. I just simply feel Zerret doesn't deserve to be in the list of "must improve" players.

 

[Bombermania]

Matthew Knights says hello.

To be fair to Woosha, he was a backman so he understands the importance of a backline, the forward line was always the major concern, get that right and we add confidence to the guys up the field that they can attack the ball and will be rewarded for getting it forward quickly.

We clearly have the basis of a good backline with Hurley, Hartley, Dea, Glesson, McGarth, Kelly, Goddard, Brown, Ambrose and maybe Stanton or Hooker all in line for the six spots, the real issue what is the best six, that may take a few weeks to work out.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

To be fair to Woosha, he was a backman so he understands the importance of a backline, the forward line was always the major concern, get that right and we add confidence to the guys up the field that they can attack the ball and will be rewarded for getting it forward quickly.

We clearly have the basis of a good backline with Hurley, Hartley, Dea, Glesson, McGarth, Kelly, Goddard, Brown, Ambrose and maybe Stanton or Hooker all in line for the six spots, the real issue what is the best six, that may take a few weeks to work out.

Hooker also available if we get desperate

EDIT: that sounded naughty

 

[Bombermania]

Hooker also available if we get desperate

EDIT: that sounded naughty

Absolutely which is why having a functioning forwardline was important, for if we are half way though the last quarter and that the opposition has scored a few in a row to close within a few goals, we can send Hooker down back as an extra defensive marking option.

 

[Doss]

Sure love Dys.

 

[ant555]

To be fair to Woosha, he was a backman so he understands the importance of a backline, the forward line was always the major concern, get that right and we add confidence to the guys up the field that they can attack the ball and will be rewarded for getting it forward quickly.

We clearly have the basis of a good backline with Hurley, Hartley, Dea, Glesson, McGarth, Kelly, Goddard, Brown, Ambrose and maybe Stanton or Hooker all in line for the six spots, the real issue what is the best six, that may take a few weeks to work out.

Talking about team defense. The players who let down the team defense play through the midfield.

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

Going to say this and it may not be popular but here goes...
Now i have always been a fan but Dyson needs to find a new level as captain. As a young captain he has to be the one driving our on field defense.
It should not be strange to him given he came through TAC Cup at half back and his first season in the AFL at half back although he was the spare man a lot of the time.
Before the suspensions he was one of the number one pointers on the ground. Well Hep the time for pointing is over. If we are to do anything then it is your job not to run around trying to get a kick and being the last bloke to find a man. I have no problem with how hard at it he is but the last two seasons he played his defensive side went backwards.
It is Ok to be the best trainer, the best prepared and to say all the right things but it will count for nothing if he can not find the defensive side of his game.
The JLT for him has been above average without being great which you may expect given how long he has been out but the time is now. We need our leaders doing everything right or close to it. We need our young stars to be improving in all aspects of their games.

I hope he has also worked on getting more penetration into his field kicks as well set-shot goal kicking.

 

[Bombermania]

Talking about team defense. The players who let down the team defense play through the midfield.

My biggest concern this preseason has been the loose defensive work at the clearances, as others have mentioned we have been unable to stop teams when they get on a roll and there have been times when our ruckman has won the tap yet the otherside has cleared it.

It is the kind of problem that we might get away with against lower sides but the Geelong's of the world will just pick holes all day long.

McGarth is said to be good defensive, but his only new so can't be expected to carry the defensive mid work, Hocking has a proven record of being a shut down player, maybe Walla goes into the center bounce but I feel he is better at being an attacking player, although his tackling pressure is very good.

 

[blitzer]

Heppell has looked a bit rusty thoughout the JLT but I think it will only be a week or two before he finds his form. He seems a bit quicker than I remembered as well - I did hear that he's been working on his pace. I also reckon he's trimmed down a fair bit (actually seems a bit too skinny much like Hurley).

The real key for him is can he start to impact more forward of centre both in terms of delivering to our forwards and kicking more goals himself. Should certainly be aiming to kick double digit goals this year.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I don't have too much of an issue with the setup and defensive abilities of Heppell, Zerret and Watson. I think they are very smart footballers and generally position themselves well. They are prime ball winners and that should be their main focus.

Individually they stack up to the Hawthorn mids who won a flag, the Doggies mids and others.

The difference between the best teams and ours is our second tier of mids and team defense. We just don't have enough smart footballers who know when to go and when to stay. You look at teams like Hawthorn and the Doggies. The pressure on the opposition is relentless. Any chance you get to make an impact on a contest you have to back yourself in and then you back your teammates to cover you.

We have too many footballers who play self preservation and don't commit to team football. They are also not quick enough to close down the opposition. Microseconds count at the elite level. The are weak in the tackle and don't commit long enough to the contest. The names have been repeated ad nauseam but until we find another 3 or 4 players that can roll into the side we'll be getting exposed on a regular basis.

 

[yaco55]

My tip for the B and F in 2017.

 

[Old Campaigner]

massive call that

 

[Rack Watts]

massive call that

lol

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

My tip for the B and F in 2017.

I'm tipping Fantasia.

 

[Coldacre]

Zerrett will romp it in.

 

[yodellinhank]

Alright cop this everyone:

Stanton will win the crichton. Never had the luxury of sneaking under the radar that he's going to this year and it will be his most complete season.

 

[yaco55]

Not a massive call - We have fairly much our full squad midfield on the park - Realistically teams will target Z.Merritt, which will give more freedom to Heppell - This happens and Heppell has the quality to take advantage of the situation.

 

[Old Campaigner]

wooosh

 

[PhoenixBonez]

wooosh