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

 

[ant555]

It’s not that I don’t think Cox or Ridley could do it. It’s that I think Cox will be far more valuable on the wing and Ridley as the third tall.

Is their a difference between third talk and what Heppell does ? The third tall does not often play on a tall every week.

 

[Ants]

Is their a difference between third talk and what Heppell does ? The third tall does not often play on a tall every week.

I would say that yes, there is a clear difference as Ridley is usually our 3rd tall. Heppell is playing a mixture of 4th tall and just crack-filler. I think with Kelly back and finding form he'll be picking up the extra tall when one of Lav/Ridley/Zerk are off the field (and their opponents aren't) rather than Heppell.

Heppell plays a lot more time (the majority most weeks) on medium and small defenders than a 3rd tall would.

 

[ant555]

I would say that yes, there is a clear difference as Ridley is usually our 3rd tall. Heppell is playing a mixture of 4th tall and just crack-filler. I think with Kelly back and finding form he'll be picking up the extra tall when one of Lav/Ridley/Zerk are off the field (and their opponents aren't) rather than Heppell.

Heppell plays a lot more time (the majority most weeks) on medium and small defenders than a 3rd tall would.

The third tall defenders generally play on tall and medium. I do not see that there is a lot of difference. In fact I am saying there is not.
If you put Ridley in the Heppell slot he will take more intercept marks than anyone in the comp and also have 20 plus possessions.
He can play the role Heppell plays on his ear . He played it at times during his under 18 days and he played it during his first years with us in the VFL and his early AFL days.
Our defensive game plan is force sides to kick where we want them to as much as possible/ we can . Then intercept.
Ridley is the one you want at half back to intercept.
Right now Heppell is playing the only spot on the ground he can . Going forward that spot has to change.

Heppell does end up playing on the med / tall forwards at times anyway. My view is that there is not a lot of difference as the third tall is not always used as the third tall as such. They tend to have a mixed role. Sometimes on KP types and other times on Med types.

Ridley is more important being able to intercept as much as he can . Then you use him as more of a defensive type if you need him.

Anyway I think our difference in view is not all that big.

 

[Zach Package]

 

[quotemokc]

Yeah no way he plays on next year

 

[andleanback]

Yeh he try’s hard but just another guy who can’t use the ball and isn’t quick. Just hand breaks out transition offense

 

[Beerfish]

Did some great stuff in the first half though when the game was still in the balance. Love him to play on in the vfl.

 

[eth-dog]

Drop him. He's cooked.

 

[MightyDon]

He’s still had a better year than year

 

[ant555]

Retire .

 

[MiguelM]

Did some great stuff in the first half though when the game was still in the balance. Love him to play on in the vfl.

I sort of agree, but he would still be taking a spot.

Still think he could have capacity for a coaching/development role at the club.

Some of his defensive efforts are great but too many sub standard efforts and he just can't run with players anymore.

 

[ghostdog]

He's put in a solid year but he won't be able to do it again. He was included for his leadership this year and there have been times where his coolness under pressure was clear, but Merrett has well and truly established himself as a leader.

Still wouldn't mind seeing him working with the VFL side.

 

[Pweter]

Yet he's eluding to wanting to go on next year, fluff piece on AFL.com.au during the week making a case for him to go on. It feels like we're being more set up for that than a retirement.

 

[ghostdog]

After looking knackered last week, Heppell looked awesome tonight. Hitting the ball at speed, scrapping at the contest. We're going to miss his dukes so badly when he's gone.

 

[Mercurial89]

Well done Hep, great game.

Probably needed to be managed better because his form leading up to this had been poor. Lighter week and he looks fresh and strong at the ball.
Still gets murdered for pace but is a smart footballer.

Give us 4 more games and then walk off the MCG in good form and finish it up.

 

[Lore]

Knackiest knacker that ever knacked

 

[SpeckieMcVeigh]

After a rough last few weeks, I thought he played outstanding today.

 

[Foxx]

BOG for us.

 

[frodos gardener]

His best game of the year. I’ve slammed him in recent times but felt inspired by his contribution tonight.

 

[ant555]

Still think his spot in the side works against the team balance. Would rather see Ridley being able to play half back going forward.

 

[Zach Package]

I’m sorry, but he was unequivocally bad. He did have a big moment where he stood under a high ball and marked well but that is only because he didn’t have to move to get to that contest.

His metres gained are a product of big, fat, loopy kicks up the line and he can only hope to poke it laterally if he wants to hit a target. Defenders who stop the ball when we have it and can’t stop it when the opposition have it aren’t a good thing.

Papley’s match winner was solely the product of Heppell leaving him, coming up to try and impact the marking contest and completely fluffing it.

 

[Vander18]

Two things can be true…..has Hepp given us some composure and leadership? Yes, he has.

Does he also often leave us exposed defensively? Yes, he does.

On balance, we need to find a place for Cox in the defence next season and that spot should be Heppell’s.

 

[Chief Hopper]

Heppell was great last night, the best I've seen in a very long time.
He put some rebounding edge to our back half. Maybe was the reason why the game ended up as close as it did.

There's been a lot to like about Heppell this year.

 

[JT_the_Man]

He was massive in the last quarter. Best game I’ve seen him play in a long time.

 

[bommer16]

Dyson still putting in blocks of good performances and as an ex captain he is like a bomber dad out there and can still play a part in the leadership on field. Sure, can have shockers and bad passages of play like other players but his game this year has been more positive than negative and warrants regular selection. Last night is justification for him to go another year.