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

 

[The Prosecutor]

Fair call, I was probably a bit biased there.

Still take 26 touches, 5 clearance game every week over a 30 touch, 4 goal game every month.

Bennell averages 20 touches, and 2.3 goals a game this year in what has been an injury interrupted season. His disposal count was higher last year while he still averaged over a goal a game.

Hell, here's some of his big games over the last two and a half seasons as a 19 to 21-year-old player.

27 disps (20 kicks 7 hballs), 11 marks and 6 goals in Rd 14 40-pt win over Geelong at Metricon Stadium (21 Jun 2014)

28 disps (18 kicks 10 hballs), 4 marks, 4 tackles and 3 goals in Rd 21 17-pt loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium (17 Aug 2013)

32 disps (18 kicks 14 hballs), 4 marks and a goal in Rd 7 60-pt win over Melbourne at the MCG (12 May 2013)

27 disps (20 kicks 7 hballs), 4 marks and 3 goals in Rd 3 2-pt loss to Brisbane at Metricon Stadium (13 Apr 2013)

38 disps (21 kicks 17 hballs), 7 marks, 4 tackles and 4 goals in Rd 19 42-pt loss to Melbourne at the MCG (5 Aug 2012)

37 disps (21 kicks 16 hballs), 3 marks and 3 goals in Rd 6 7-pt loss to Fremantle at Metricon Stadium (5 May 2012)

He's much more consistent than you give him credit for.

 

[bomberman500]

When was there ever a debate?

I'll admit that I am concerned about the balance of our midfield and that something will have to give but it isn't going to be our 22 year old driving force.

While I would take Atley in a heart beat to add some explosiveness into our game surely the only people who would suggest that Conca and Atley are anything but miles behind Heppell would be the most one eyed Richmond and North supporters.

Atley can burst through the lines off Half Back but then has no idea what to do with it, suppose that would come with experience but im happy with pig and dempsey of that line atm

 

[bomberman500]

Bennell averages 20 touches, and 2.3 goals a game this year in what has been an injury interrupted season. His disposal count was higher last year while he still averaged over a goal a game.

Hell, here's some of his big games over the last two and a half seasons as a 19 to 21-year-old player.

27 disps (20 kicks 7 hballs), 11 marks and 6 goals in Rd 14 40-pt win over Geelong at Metricon Stadium (21 Jun 2014)

28 disps (18 kicks 10 hballs), 4 marks, 4 tackles and 3 goals in Rd 21 17-pt loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium (17 Aug 2013)

32 disps (18 kicks 14 hballs), 4 marks and a goal in Rd 7 60-pt win over Melbourne at the MCG (12 May 2013)

27 disps (20 kicks 7 hballs), 4 marks and 3 goals in Rd 3 2-pt loss to Brisbane at Metricon Stadium (13 Apr 2013)

38 disps (21 kicks 17 hballs), 7 marks, 4 tackles and 4 goals in Rd 19 42-pt loss to Melbourne at the MCG (5 Aug 2012)

37 disps (21 kicks 16 hballs), 3 marks and 3 goals in Rd 6 7-pt loss to Fremantle at Metricon Stadium (5 May 2012)

He's much more consistent than you give him credit for.

2 very different players imo... what would his stats look like without gaz I wonder??
Bennell kills it on the outside while Heppell is a see ball, get ball player.
Would be happy with either at my team

 

[Zach Package]

takes the mark, acknowledges the play on call, sizes up the angles and dobs it like an absolute boss.

That's the kind of thing that would make Hird proud

 

[eth-dog]

That's what elite or potentially elite players do. Love him

 

[doug85]

takes the mark, acknowledges the play on call, sizes up the angles and dobs it like an absolute boss.

That's the kind of thing that would make Hird proud

How about BT's call on that goal.

What a deadshit.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Glad he has tried to work on his goallkicking and he needs to. Joel Selwood was the same in his first few years as a hopeless kick for goal, he has worked on it. The bloke is a gun, had him at number 2 on my draft list, with David Swallow being the 'safer' choice at the time.

 

[Chambo]

MAN CRUSH!!! So happy he kicked that late goal and worked tirelessly through the tag from that muppet Cornes.

 

[yaco55]

What I took out of Heppell's game is that the media don't understand who are the best taggers. Crowley and K.Cornes are head and shoulders above the next group of taggers.

 

[daffo]

Thank you for kicking that goal dice.

 

[Stopher]

Didn't have his best game due to having one of the best taggers in the game shadowing him. Was still able to influence the game when it was there to be won. Great leadership. Hard to believe he's still only 22!

 

[The Dustbin]

Clutch player. He has a knack of popping up with those crunch time goals.

 

[BrunoV]

Clutch player. He has a knack of popping up with those crunch time goals.

Was so Pendlebury. Had his colours lowered for the first 3 quarters only to work his way back in the last and basically win us the game with a moment of class.

 

[eth-dog]

When you look at what Cornes' done to top 20 midfielders this season:

Dangerfield: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Selwood: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Hannebery: 13 possessions, 1 goal
Griffen: 14 possessions, 0 goals
(Heppell: 17 possessions, 1 goal)

That's awesome

 

[yaco55]

When you look at what Cornes' done to top 20 midfielders this season:

Dangerfield: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Selwood: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Hannebery: 13 possessions, 1 goal
Griffen: 14 possessions, 0 goals
(Heppell: 17 possessions, 1 goal)

That's awesome

Exactly - And the experts still bang on about Macaffer - Crowley and K.Cornes are long way ahead of the rest.

 

[CourtzMajora]

With its stand-in captain Goddard missing, Thompson said the role could fall to young star Dyson Heppell, who looks a long-term candidate as a permanent skipper.

"He's not far away, and he's certainly going to be a captain, he's a really classy young man," Thompson.

Looks like Heppell might get the nod.

 

[Yoda_]

Good luck to the kid in his first game as captain of this great and powerful football club.


Here's hoping its a positive and not a hinderance to the fella.


Go Bombers

#DonTheSash #GoBombers

 

[The Prosecutor]

Looks like Heppell might get the nod.

Not quite yet, the journalist asked if Dyson Heppell is potentially ready to be captain this Sunday as opposed to Bomber volunteering that.

 

[HurlsMeister18]

When you look at what Cornes' done to top 20 midfielders this season:

Dangerfield: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Selwood: 17 possessions, 0 goals
Hannebery: 13 possessions, 1 goal
Griffen: 14 possessions, 0 goals
(Heppell: 17 possessions, 1 goal)

That's awesome

That's a great effort from Cornes although a bit harsh on Griffen who's back went on him and he could hardly move and was subbed at half time.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Dyson Heppell is earning a reputation as a quality footballer and person, shaping as future Essendon captain


IN an era where confusion reigns over the status of AFL players as role models, Essendon’s Dyson Heppell embraces his celebrity and uses it in a positive manner wherever possible.

It’s a far cry from Chris Judd’s opinion that footballers aren’t role models, a view shared by many of his contemporaries in the AFL world, and it doesn’t make one right or better than the other. It’s just the path they have both chosen, Heppell being the antithesis of an archetypical AFL footballer.

He has enjoyed an end of season trip to LA with the best of them but equally relished the opportunity two years ago to travel to India with the Red Dust Foundation and assist in volunteer work while exploring that part of the world.

Heppell’s older brother Jamin, who runs a company that develops young Victorian sporting leaders into community leaders, said his brother, or “Dyse” as he calls, will take the opportunities that come his way.

Essendon's Dyson Heppell in India.



“He acknowledges himself as an influential character within society because of the publicity he gets. He is very conscious of the way he behaves and makes sure he gives back to the community,” said Jamin.

“He went across to India a couple of years back with the Red Dust Foundation. He was on a trip to Alice Springs to work with some indigenous kids as a family favour when he met Simon McKeon who is the founder of Red Dust. Simon invited him to India to understand that world. It was a phenomenal chance for him.”

The Heppell brothers, which include the youngest in Aaron who is playing in the VFL with Essendon and studying exercise and sports science, live together in Essendon enabling their parents Ann-Marie and Paul to be regular visitors from their Gippsland home.

Peter Francis, who has been with Gippsland Power as regional manager for 20 years and has seen the cream, players such as Brendon Goddard, Rob Murphy, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Roughead and Dale Thomas, rates Heppell one of his favourites.

“He’s just a wonderful person. An unbelievable kid, really engaging from the time I met him when he was 14 in our U15s. He captained our U18 team and the game he played in the 2010 Preliminary final against red-hot favourites Oakleigh remains one of the best individual TAC Cup performances I have seen. He pulled us across the line,” said Francis, 56.

Dyson with brother Jamin, mum Ann-Maree, dad Paul and brother Aaron before the 2010 draft on the Gold Coast. Picture: Michael Dodge



“When Adrian Dodoro from Essendon rang me about Dyson I said if you get him he will become a captain of Essendon. Right from a young age he did everything right, from his hot and colds, just so professional, I have never seen a young player so professional.”

How the shaggy-haired Leongatha lad got to Essendon at Pick 8 remains one of those draft mysteries, a similar story to Joel Selwood in the 2006 draft slipping through to 7 due to an alleged chronic knee condition that would supposedly end his career prematurely.

In Heppell’s case the drums were beating loudly that he had Osteitis Pubis, a buzz injury of the time that crippled players through acute groin soreness. While he had hardly missed a game as a junior with Gippsland Power, at least one and maybe two clubs believed the gossip.

So Brisbane bypassed him with pick 5 and chose Jared Polec, a highly-talented running player who would return to his hometown of Adelaide three years later which cost Port Adelaide their Pick 34. And Richmond used Pick 6 on Reece Conca, an in-and-under midfielder who had produced a fine U18 Championship series.

Dyson Heppell in action for the Gippsland Power against the Calder Cannons in the 2010 TAC Cup Grand Final.



Gold Coast then chose Josh Caddy at Pick 7, leaving the Bombers barely believing their luck that Heppell was still available. And as luck would have it the Heppell family doctor was long-serving Essendon medico Bruce Reid, who assured the Bombers’ list manager Adrian Dodoro that there would be no long-term OP problems. Dodoro had spoken briefly with Heppell at draft camp but given up all hope when hel produced a 2.95 sec 20m speed test.

The Bombers had rated Heppell top 3 in a draft where David Swallow and Harley Bennell were picks 1 and 2. In anticipation they wouldn’t secure Heppell, Essendon produced two prerecordings prior to the draft where they introduced Dion Prestia (Pick 9) and Shaun Atley (17) to the club’s supporters. The idea was as soon as Dodoro said the name then the club could put the video of either Prestia or Atley on the Black and Red website, but someone hacked into their computer system and released the videos.

It was embarrassing at the time even if the club had realised the night before that Heppell was a live chance to get through to 8: “Merv Keane, James Hird and myself walked over to the caravan park on the Gold Coast where the Heppell family was staying and told Dyson we would be taking him,” recalled Dodoro.

“He was really happy as like David Zaharakis and Heath Hocking, he was a mad Essendon supporter. He was a brilliant young person then and he remains so today.”



Nice to read something positive for a change regarding an EFC player.

 

[Buttsoup_Barnes]

He's shown amazing progression for a player his age. Would probably be about 3-5 years before we see that Pendlebury-esque consistency and talent each week if he can reach to that potential. Absolute gun!

 

[JDavey]

A lazy 29 disposals through the Mcaffer tag with 13 contested disposals and 8 clearances (tied #1 with Myers on both).

What was most impressive was the amount of kicks/handballs that were perfectly executed and set up goals.

Also heard the commentators: Compare a Zach to a young Dyson Heppell (hes only 22 guys)
Compare Heppell to Simon Black
Compare Heppell to Pendles


Wish we could trade him for Atley though.

 

[Coldacre]

he is a f.ucking superstar.


already.


only Jobe has more talent than him... and not by much!

he has that Hird-like talent where time stops still. that pass into the forward 50 in the last quarter was silky, smooth, vintage, grange.

the kids still 22!!!!!!!!

 

[MAAAATTDAAAAMON]

he is a f.ucking superstar.


already.


only Jobe has more talent than him... and not by much!

he has that Hird-like talent where time stops still. that pass into the forward 50 in the last quarter was silky, smooth, vintage, grange.

the kids still 22!!!!!!!!

Hold the horses- Goddard is easily the most talented player on the list. Jobe is the best, Goddard second, Hepp third, but BJ definitely the most talented.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

he is a f.ucking superstar.


already.


only Jobe has more talent than him... and not by much!

he has that Hird-like talent where time stops still. that pass into the forward 50 in the last quarter was silky, smooth, vintage, grange.

the kids still 22!!!!!!!!

Jobe's a story of pure hard work rather than talent.

Doesn't change your excellent point about Heppell though.