Ben Cunnington vs Dyson Heppell

[MaddAdam]

Two footballers that appear similar on paper, but are actually very different.

Both top ten picks, both midfielders from the country. But there the similarities stop.

Heppel has lots of hair, Cunners is rapidly losing his. Heppell is from inland eastern country Victoria, Cunnington is from a dairy farm that backed on to the Twelve Apostles. Heppell is a media darling, Cunnington has only this year really penetrated media consciousness.

Onfield the differences continue. Heppell hit the ground running after being drafted and won the Rising Star award in his first year. Cunnington was injured in pre season training and struggled in his first few years, both with injury and homesickness.

But oddly, a strnge inversion is now taking place. Heppell is the archetypal blonde midfielder, but in reality he's an accumulator who uses his elite endurance to get to every contest. He racks up the numbers.

Cunnington is labelled "blue collar" but those who watch him closely know that he's an amazingly creative player, with probably the best hands in the league. He has party tricks too - look away handballs and a habit of nailing banana kick set shots off one step, often from distance.

Who would you have in your team, and why?

 

[MaddAdam]

ManWithNoName - a better forum for this debate.

 

[ManOfClay]

Your hard on for Cunnington knows no end. One banana kick in a big win when the result was already decided and a clever but not outlandish over the head party trick against a baby GWS results in this kind of frothing? He's still a dissapointing pick 5

That said, would prefer Cunnington out of these two. Has a harder edge. Doesn't seem to get the ball as much but is a big body at the coal face.

 

[ManWithNoName]

ManWithNoName - a better forum for this debate.

What you're not accounting for is my complete lack of caring.

 

[MaddAdam]

He's done that kind of stuff more than that. He's a very good pick 5. His slow start is still clouding judgement on him.

He's very strong overhead and has shown himself a finals player too.

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

Bombers and North supporters should agree not to vote. The rest of the comp probably doesn't care, but still, would be interesting to see the results then.

otherwise you'll just have supporters from either club voting for the guy on their team.

 

[Max Headroom]

Bombers and North supporters should agree not to vote. The rest of the comp probably doesn't care, but still, would be interesting to see the results then.

otherwise you'll just have supporters from either club voting for the guy on their team.

You're no fun! Too late, I already voted....

 

[ThisIsJake]

Best hands in the league?... Would actually give Heppell the edge in that department.

 

[Ambrosia]

I rate Cunnington highly but Heppell's younger and his 2014 year eclipses anything Cunnington has put together. I'd go Heppell although I'm biased.

On a side note both players need to take the next step and become more dangerous forward of center.

 

[EagleCanival]

I think Cunnington is a highly underrated player, but he's not quite up there with Heppell just yet.

 

[Dan]

Both s**t

 

[DapperDon]

Heppell playing for Australia so that makes him betterer

/thread

 

[fishardansin]

Incomparable because their roles are different. Heppell is clearly the more consistent of the two with dips in output only ever occurring when there has been enough injuries to ensure he was tagged.

Does Cunngington ever get tagged?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Greggers28]

are you serious madam? obviously heppel

 

[blitzer]

Heppell gets tagged. Nobody can be bothered with Cunnington.

Heppell wins more of the ball even on the inside which is Cunnington's strength. Both are really clean (i still give the edge to Heppell though his ability to pick balls off the deck without fumbling is as good as anyone). Both are strong marks - although i would say Cunnington more likely to take a mark up forward and Heppell more likely to take an intercepting mark down back. Heppell has better vision and creativity with the ball. Cunnington is a real bull at the gate type but i think ultimately when you look at results Heppell has performed more consistently for longer and is younger as well.

Having a bit of a look at their stats for 2015: Heppell gets a few more possessions per game (all kicks too), averaged more goals per game (Heppell improving in previously weak area for him), not too many other noticeable disparities slight edges to Heppell in effective disposal %, hitouts (2.1 to a paltry 0.3), inside 50's, tackles, effective disposals etc. Basically Heppell even in a down year, even when he's getting tagged is just a more productive player than Cunnington.

If i compared them in 2014 i'm sure it would only be that much worse for Cunnington considering Heppell was a lot better and made AA that year but i don't want to be mean.

 

[Dan]

Nobody can be bothered with Cunnington....

What a s**t player he is.

 

[Demonated]

Best hands in the league?... Would actually give Heppell the edge in that department.

I rate Heppell as the slightly better player but IMO nobody in the league matches Cunnington in creativity, vision and execution of handballing in the league. This has been the case for years. People often talk about Mitchell and Pendles hands but Cunnington has consistently done some absolutely brilliant things that largely go unnoticed because he isn't a 'star' or standout player. He did a handball in the back pocket a few years ago under extreme pressure which I'm sure nobody else playing could execute. No way is Heppell better with his hands.

 

[ThisIsJake]

I rate Heppell as the slightly better player but IMO nobody in the league matches Cunnington in creativity, vision and execution of handballing in the league. This has been the case for years. People often talk about Mitchell and Pendles hands but Cunnington has consistently done some absolutely brilliant things that largely go unnoticed because he isn't a 'star' or standout player. He did a handball in the back pocket a few years ago under extreme pressure which I'm sure nobody else playing could execute. No way is Heppell better with his hands.

I can definitely appreciate his vision and poise by hand and yeah it is well up for debate that he could be better than Heppell in that department even if I'm not so sure.

But Pendles, Mitchell and Jobe Watson are a level up. Cunnington in the second tier for sure. But what you're saying is that Cunnington doesn't get appreciated for his handballing because he doesn't have the 'star' tag, well these players have that star tag because of this attribute. Sure their disposal numbers help but I think all these 3 players are best known for there poise and skill by hand in traffic and that is what makes them stars.

 

[Demonated]

I can definitely appreciate his vision and poise by hand and yeah it is well up for debate that he could be better than Heppell in that department even if I'm not so sure.

But Pendles, Mitchell and Jobe Watson are a level up. Cunnington in the second tier for sure. But what you're saying is that Cunnington doesn't get appreciated for his handballing because he doesn't have the 'star' tag, well these players have that star tag because of this attribute. Sure their disposal numbers help but I think all these 3 players are best known for there poise and skill by hand in traffic and that is what makes them stars.

I can't agree mate. They are regarded as stars because they are more complete players, not because they execute every single skill better. They all have additional elite attributes while Cunnington doesn't really have the same number of weapons. Mitchell and Pendles both have elite evasiveness and kicking skills. Jobe Watson is one of the strongest midfielders in the game. Cunnington is slightly strong for a mid, very slow and quite short. His kicking is ok but his hands are the best in the league IMO. I have seen him do numerous different handballs that I have never once seen any of the above three do. Without them and his clearance work he wouldn't even be in the AFL.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Heppell wins more of the ball even on the inside which is Cunnington's strength.

False.

 

[Joshen]

Overall would lean towards Heppell.

Cunnington's handballing ability is only behind Mitchell in the competition. Is on another tier to Heppell in this department.

No way he has been a disappointment for a pick 5 either. BnF winner in a top 4 year and amongst the best in the competition inside. Compare him to the rest of the top 30 in the 2009 draft:

1 Tom Scully
2 Jack Trengove
3 Dustin Martin
4 Anthony Morabito
5 Ben Cunnington
6 Gary Rohan
7 Brad Sheppard
8 John Butcher
9 Andrew Moore
10 Jake Melksham
11 Jordan Gysberts
12 Kane Lucas
13 Daniel Talia
14 Lewis Jetta
15 Christian Howard
16 Jasper McMillan-Pittard
17 Daniel Menzel
18 Luke Tapscott
19 Benjamin Griffiths
20 Nathan Fyfe
21 Ryan Bastinac
22 Gerrick Weedon
23 Koby Stevens
24 Jake Carlisle
25 Aaron Black
26 Travis Colyer
27 Callum Bartlett
28 Mitch Duncan
29 Jack Gunston
30 Luke Ball

Martin, Fyfe, Talia and possibly Carlisle, Gunston you could say have equalled or outperformed him in their respective positions. Sheppard, Duncan, and maybe Menzel if he can get his body right could enter the conversation.

 

[Donkey Chop]

Didn't Heppell have -220 meters or something in a single game? If Heppell could learn to kick towards his teams goals and actually gain meters he could be a star.

 

[MightyDons4]

Didn't Heppell have -220 meters or something in a single game? If Heppell could learn to kick towards his teams goals and actually gain meters he could be a star.

Heppell had more inside 50's and goals that Cunnington, he's already a star.

 

[Donkey Chop]

Heppell had more inside 50's and goals that Cunnington, he's already a star.

Yeah but he could be better

 

[MightyDons4]

Yeah but he could be better

Everyone could be better than they already are.