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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Bomberblitzer said:
Go to a game and focus on Heppell. He is absolutely everywhere and doesn't stop running. His so-called kicking deficiency is overstated - you wouldn't say Jobe is the best of kicks but for a while he was the clear second best player in the competition (and arguably still is when fit/in form).

That said, here are things I'd like to see Heppell work on in the off-season:

- Defensive running
- Disposal in contested situations/under pressure
- Shots at goal (both on the run and during a set shot)
- Making tackles stick
- Being faster with his first 2-3 steps from a contest (not sure if this is something he could improve)
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Well I don't think we disagree on anything.
 

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Whether or not you think he has already passed Watson.. or is alongside him.. or still slightly below him..

What an excellent thing for a THIRD year player!! There was a time when we thought that Jobe would be the 'top of the tree' without peer for a very long time.. and now we have Heppell and Goddard pushing him step for step..

The fact that Heppell is being compared to players of the ilk of Watson, Pendles, Selwood etc.. means that he is a very very very good footballer.

Elite. I thought he was in our top 5 on Saturday.. with a plate in his hand that he had broken 13 days before that ffs. That included hard ball gets, pack marks etc.. just amazing from a young player.
 
Doss said:
Fourth year player. ;)

But otherwise, absolutely. I had him as our best full stop.
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Too right. Fourth year.. jeez they fly by.

Point still stands though. Unfortunately Heppell is probably another 'victim' of the Saga.. only now finally getting the recognition he deserves.. has had just as impressive start to his career as Selwood, all bar being lucky enough to win some flags in a great era.

Hopefully next year when see the end of the distraction.. and guys like Heppell can get the plaudits they deserve for being seriously good footballers.
 
In all seriousness, I doubt we've had a player have as good a first four years at Essendon since...well, Hird, Fletcher or Lloyd.
 
rines said:
Too right. Fourth year.. jeez they fly by.

Point still stands though. Unfortunately Heppell is probably another 'victim' of the Saga.. only now finally getting the recognition he deserves.. has had just as impressive start to his career as Selwood, all bar being lucky enough to win some flags in a great era.

Hopefully next year when see the end of the distraction.. and guys like Heppell can get the plaudits they deserve for being seriously good footballers.
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This is what I don't under stand.

Is he an exceptional 4th year player or an exceptional player? There is a massive difference between the two.
 
BrunoV said:
This is what I don't under stand.

Is he an exceptional 4th year player or an exceptional player? There is a massive difference between the two.
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Both.
 
Doss said:
In all seriousness, I doubt we've had a player have as good a first four years at Essendon since...well, Hird, Fletcher or Lloyd.
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Lloyd's first 4 years were better than the other two I'd say. He kicked 63 then 70 goals as a 19-20 yo in seasons 3 & 4.

Coincidentally (hopefully) Hird won the Brownlow in his 5th season of playing footy (6th if you count the year after he was drafted when he didn't play a game)
 
Doss said:
In all seriousness, I doubt we've had a player have as good a first four years at Essendon since...well, Hird, Fletcher or Lloyd.
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As a body of work Heppell's first four years have been better than the aforementioned three.
 
yaco55 said:
As a body of work Heppell's first four years have been better than the aforementioned three.
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In the case of Hird, I reckon it depends on whether you consider his first year to be 1991 or 1992. If the latter- he won the '95 BnF, did he not?
 

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Doss said:
In the case of Hird, I reckon it depends on whether you consider his first year to be 1991 or 1992. If the latter- he won the '95 BnF, did he not?
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Hird's first year was 1991. Mercuri and Misiti were excellent in their first four years - Tim Watson was better.
 
yaco55 said:
Hird's first year was 1991. Mercuri and Misiti were excellent in their first four years - Tim Watson was better.
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Yeah, just reckon some people forget 1991 with Hird because he didn't play a senior game. They'd think of 1992-95 as being his first four years, when really it's 1991-94.
 
He has had an exceptional first four years.. AND he is exceptional full stop. As BTG said.. both.

I would also suggest that he has also done this without a heap of support around him.. and with the distraction of this off-field stuff as well.

Irrespective.. when he can easily, and rightly, be compared to guys like Hird, Fletcher, Lloyd, T Watson, Mercuri et al.. then stands to reason he is going to be a pretty good player!!

Sure I would love his kicking to be a bit better.. but he will work on it and everything else is pretty good.

7th in the Coaches votes in a season where the team was 50/50 at best, would indicate he was a fair player...
 
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Retired #21: Dyson Heppell - Goodnight, sweet prince. What a legend! 🤙 - 24/8

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