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

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Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 27, Highly Evolved
 
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Glad people can see the guy has flaws. Alot of supporters I know are blinded with some of his weaknesses and it is frustrating trying to explain it.

Always wanted Prestia as he has a better midfield game than Heppell, even if Heppell were to move back again he doesn't have a defensive bone in his body to defend anyway.
 
freshazimiz said:
Glad people can see the guy has flaws. Alot of supporters I know are blinded with some of his weaknesses and it is frustrating trying to explain it.

Always wanted Prestia as he has a better midfield game than Heppell, even if Heppell were to move back again he doesn't have a defensive bone in his body to defend anyway.
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Move back? Like his first year we when he won the rising star and was pretty good defensively and put his body on the line?

Our supporter base has a lot of issues. Remember Salmon, Lucas was a target at times, Stanton and now Heppel gets it inside 30 times but doesn't kick 4 goals and burn players off.... FFS.
 
Are you ****ing kidding me... we have a 22 year old averaging 29 disposals, 5 tackles and 5 clearances a game whilst copping tags from the opposition, but because he doesn't get 2 goals a game and every kick isn't a 45 metre bullet pass onto Joe Daniher's left nipple, he's not good enough. Get a grip.
 

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Ooh geez rising star yeah real great. Palmer won it as well so couldn't care less. 1st year he played back as a sweeper, did a good job but what has he improved since his first year?

Now he's just getting alot of easy kicks in the midfield, hardly runs two way and pretty much just waits for the ball to dish to him.

Not expecting him to burn players off and kick goals, I just don't think he's as good as Pendles or any elite players like he is being talked about.
 
freshazimiz said:
Ooh geez rising star yeah real great. Palmer won it as well so couldn't care less. 1st year he played back as a sweeper, did a good job but what has he improved since his first year?

Now he's just getting alot of easy kicks in the midfield, hardly runs two way and pretty much just waits for the ball to dish to him.

Not expecting him to burn players off and kick goals, I just don't think he's as good as Pendles or any elite players like he is being talked about.
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Yeah, you have NFI. Had more clearances and contested possessions than any other player on the ground, but according to you he only gets the easy ball.
 
freshazimiz said:
Ooh geez rising star yeah real great. Palmer won it as well so couldn't care less. 1st year he played back as a sweeper, did a good job but what has he improved since his first year?

Now he's just getting alot of easy kicks in the midfield, hardly runs two way and pretty much just waits for the ball to dish to him.

Not expecting him to burn players off and kick goals, I just don't think he's as good as Pendles or any elite players like he is being talked about.
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I don't think he's elite quite yet but you're further off the mark than the people comparing him to Pendlebury.
 
freshazimiz said:
Now he's just getting alot of easy kicks in the midfield, hardly runs two way and pretty much just waits for the ball to dish to him.
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What a load of shit.

In 90% of our big wins over the past 2 years, Dyson has been instrumental and one of the major reasons why we have won. He has the Hird instinct of will to win and get the ball at the crucial time.

Go back and watch the replays of the big games and you'll see him doing the business.

Elite player.
 
Palmer's Rising Star is a complete strawman.

Palmer's done bugger all, really, since that 2008 season. Heppell has gone from strength to strength every year since 2011.

No one would pretend he doesn't have flaws, as he does. To complete the package, he needs to hit the scoreboard more and be a little more prepared to do the defensive things, as has been noted. Especially the blocking around the contest and two-way running.
 
Nothing like occupying the extremes to miss the point.

Think that the issue is whether you want a total lack of defensive accountability to be a trait of any midfielder who cannot break a game/stoppages apart with powerful run and or skill.

I know that I would prefer to see Myers, for example, with that extra third of Heppell's possessions. You might say that the onus is on Myers to get the ball but then you have to ignore all of the blocking and shepherding.

Much as I love Watson and Heppell they are not a great combination of unaccountable midfielders in the sense that they don't break games open and do not consequently hurt oppositions enough.
 
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Big Fresh said:
I thought his kicking was very good on the weekend. Also his ability to win the ball on both the inside and outside (which contributes to how effective he is) is right up there. Terrible call.
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Some of the guys who play footy with similar freedom afforded to Heppell:

Judd, Ablett Jr, S Johnson, Pendlebury, Beams, Swan, Fyfe, Griffen, Dangerfield (though Danger is quite a good defensive player when he needs to be).

The thing about the other players is that they tear opponents new arseholes carrying the ball or otherwise breaking the game open. The benefit of their attacking player outweighs the lack of defence.

There are then guys like Selwood, McVeigh, Hannebery and Jack who defend and attack.

It continues to amaze me that sides will let Zaharakis and Goddard run free while they put work into Heppell (though Sanderson is at least smart enough to tag Zaharakis).
 
BrunoV said:
Some of the guys who play footy with similar freedom afforded to Heppell:

Judd, Ablett Jr, S Johnson, Pendlebury, Beams, Swan, Fyfe, Griffen, Dangerfield (though Danger is quite a good defensive player when he needs to be).

There are then guys like Selwood, McVeigh, Hannebery and Jack who defend and attack.


The thing about the other players is that they tear opponents new arseholes carrying the ball or otherwise breaking the game open. The benefit of their attacking player outweighs the lack of defence.

If this is the standard, and Heppell is a really good footballer, we won't get enough from him to justify him floating around games. It continues to amaze me that sides will let Zaharakis and Goddard run free while they put work into Heppell.
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Being less damaging than those guys would not make him the least effective attacking midfielder in the competition. I'd rate him above Judd, Swan, and Griffen this season anyway. His kicking could be better, but it could also be a lot worse.
 
BrunoV said:
Some of the guys who play footy with similar freedom afforded to Heppell:

Judd, Ablett Jr, S Johnson, Pendlebury, Beams, Swan, Fyfe, Griffen, Dangerfield (though Danger is quite a good defensive player when he needs to be).

The thing about the other players is that they tear opponents new arseholes carrying the ball or otherwise breaking the game open. The benefit of their attacking player outweighs the lack of defence.

There are then guys like Selwood, McVeigh, Hannebery and Jack who defend and attack.

It continues to amaze me that sides will let Zaharakis and Goddard run free while they put work into Heppell (though Sanderson is at least smart enough to tag Zaharakis).
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Every one of those players has played a lot more midfield than Heppell has. Remember that this is only the second year he's spent on-ball. Sure he could improve his kicking and perhaps slot a few more goals, but I'm extremely happy with his efforts so far. Especially considering he's our best clearance player with Jobe out.
 
I agree with what BrunoV is saying though.

No qualms that he lacks any speed or line breaking ability. He lacks any kicking penetration and he also lacks defensive running like many of those names however they have break away from contest explosiveness/elite skills ect.

I dont think Heppell will ever maybe go to that real elite top 10 in the AFL category because he simply doesnt possess the attributes it takes to get there like the Ablett, SJ, J.Selwood, Danger, Pendles, Fyfes do.

Hes going to be a solid accumulator who hits his short kicks, wins 5-6 clearances a game - nothing much more.

Still very happy to have him, excellent player.
 
Dreadful first half, he may have got 23 touches but they were at 30% disposal efficiency.

But absolutely torched the second half and was by far best on ground after half time. For me he and Zaka were the catalysts for getting us back into the game. First time I've seen a performance similar to Jobe where he willed himself to every contest and picked us up as a team. Loved it.
 
Seriously - Guy gets the ball 40 times - And this is in the middle of packs - And he is criticised ! - Is just about leading the B and F - Continues his trajectory of form into 2015, and he is a lock for AA - Heppell could have been subbed out at three quarter time and still been best on ground - Heppell and Sellwood were clearly the two best players on the ground.
 
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Retired #21: Dyson Heppell - Goodnight, sweet prince. What a legend! 🤙 - 24/8

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