AFL Player #21: Dyson Heppell aka Farnsy

[Lore]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 27, Highly Evolved

 

[Keystone agony]

This might be an unpopular opinion but so be it. This was a good time to make Zach Merrett the captain and let Heppell focus on footy. Or perhaps have a Cummins-Smith style structure where Heppell supports Merrett and acts as captain if Merrett does not play.

Until Zach can show others he runs defensively with conviction than I'd rather have Heppell or someone else captain.

Last thing we want is a Goddard situation a leader telling others to do things one won't do themselves

Heppell as captain regardless this year is the absolutely right call

 

[yodellinhank]

Is he the club's losingest captain?

 

[windyhill]

Is he the club's losingest captain?

Ken fletcher was captain and we were terrible back then.

 

[ant555]

Is he the club's losingest captain?

Lloyd had a worse record as captain . Watson was around 50/50 without having the exact stats. In front of me . Heppell as far as games played as captain is around 42 - 43

 

[ant555]

Games played as captain. Win loss record.
Lloyd 28 - 33
Watson 50-2-54
Heppell 42-43

Not the teams full season record. Just games they played as captain.

 

[owen87]

without having the exact stats. In front of me

Heppell as far as games played as captain is around 42 - 43

Heppell 42-43

Are you rainman?

 

[fairbump_playon]

Games played as captain. Win loss record.
Lloyd 28 - 33
Watson 50-2-54
Heppell 42-43

Not the teams full season record. Just games they played as captain.

Really highlights nearly a decade and a half of true, sustained mediocrity

 

[nesko_25]

Is he the club's losingest captain?

Goddard

 

[yodellinhank]

Goddard

Probably on a % based scale

 

[ant555]

Are you rainman?

I have to admit on Heppell I had looked at his numbers late in the season

 

[ant555]

All Essendon games games while they where the official captain of the club.
Lloyd 31-2-55
Watson 61-2-69
Heppell 53-1-51

Hird 113-1-62

 

[owen87]

All Essendon games games while they where the official captain of the club.
Lloyd 31-2-55
Watson 61-2-69
Heppell 53-1-51

Hird 113-1-62

So you’re saying…

Bring Back Hird?

 

[Bombers36]

All Essendon games games while they where the official captain of the club.
Lloyd 31-2-55
Watson 61-2-69
Heppell 53-1-51

Hird 113-1-62

Heppell probably is the best captain- but tight one between Watson and Lloyd as to who’s a better player


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[Ambrosia]

Heppell probably is the best captain- but tight one between Watson and Lloyd as to who’s a better player


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Don’t agree with any of this. Lloyd clearly the best player and I’d say worst captain. Watson clearly the best captain - the way the players spoke of him during the drugs saga made it clear to me. Leaves Heppell worst player second best captain

 

[owen87]

Don’t agree with any of this. Lloyd clearly the best player and I’d say worst captain. Watson clearly the best captain - the way the players spoke of him during the drugs saga made it clear to me. Leaves Heppell worst player second best captain

The guy fourth in line on that list didn't go too badly...

 

[Ambrosia]

The guy fourth in line on that list didn't go too badly...

Yeah I was excluding Hird completely. Cleary the top of the list

 

[Clark G]

People are a bit harsh on Lloyd - how much input did he have, as captain, on list management and gameplan? Both were awful in Sheedy’s last few years as coach and then Knights picked up where Sheedy left off.

 

[blitzer]

People are a bit harsh on Lloyd - how much input did he have, as captain, on list management and gameplan? Both were awful in Sheedy’s last few years as coach and then Knights picked up where Sheedy left off.

One thing about Lloyd's captaincy was he was desperately unlucky with the timing of his hamstring off the bone injury which really marked the end of his dominant period as a player. If i recall correctly his first 2 games he was massive leading the coleman including leading us to an upset win against last years premier Swans. Then the injury happened and he was never the same player after that, definitely lost some of his explosiveness.

Its hard to be a good captain when you aren't on the park and you're not the same player you were.
I don't think it was all Lloyd's fault by any means but there's no way to look favourably on his time as captain when all is said and done but mostly due to circumstances beyond his control.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Bit of good news re Dyson's little mate

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/harrison-pennicott-dyson-heppell-helps-warranwood-boy-celebrate-remission-from-scleroderma/news-story/1fd3300ba778f359330f84991376b49d

Harrison Pennicott: Dyson Heppell helps Warranwood boy celebrate remission from scleroderma​

A Warranwood boy with a rare skin and auto-immune disease has turned the corner, and his best mate, Essendon captain Dyson Heppell, couldn’t be more proud.


It’s taken six years of fighting, but Harrison Pennicott appears to have smashed scleroderma.
The Warranwood nine-year-old has been told by doctors he is in remission from the rare skin and auto-immune disease that has dominated his life.
Harrison was diagnosed when he was three, and has had four fingers amputated, two bone marrow transplants and multiple leg, ankle and wrist injuries during his health battle.

Years of different treatment methods at the Royal Children’s Hospital failed to cure him, as did a cell transplant from big brother Miller, 11.
But 12 months of blood cancer treatment extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has put the disease “to sleep”, leading to last month’s good news.
The treatment extracts white blood cells from a patient’s blood, which are then mixed with a photoactive drug and exposed to UV light to activate the medicine, before being reinfused into the body.

“I feel really good, I feel like I’m normal again,” Harrison said.
“My dad says I have to keep eating, so I just keep on taking big mouthfuls and swallowing them.”

Warranwood's Harrison Pennicott, 9, and Essendon captain Dyson Heppell celebrate Harrison's good health news at Ringwood North's McAlpin Reserve. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Dyson Heppell hangs out with Harrison and Miller Pennicott at Ringwood North's McAlpin Reserve. Picture: Kiel Egging.
Mum Leesa said seeing her son in remission was like “a whole weight had been lifted off our shoulders”.
She said Harrison would continue to have ECP treatment every month to make sure the disease stayed ”dormant”.

“It’s all about rehab now, doing physio and trying to get him better, building some strength and muscle and putting some weight on him,” Leesa said.
“He’s walking, standing up tall, he’s confident and stronger, and he can play all day and he’s more active, it’s really nice to see.”
“I’m super proud, he’s always happy and smiling, he never gives up and he has an amazing spirit.”

Miller and Harrison Pennicott, pictured in September 2018, on the eve of Harrison entering the Royal Children’s Hospital for intensive treatment for scleroderma. Picture: James Ross.

Miller and Harrison with Dyson Heppell at Ringwood’s McAlpin Reserve on February 4, 2022. Picture: Kiel Egging.
Harrison’s struggles caught the attention of Essendon AFL captain Dyson Heppell in early 2018, whose grandmother died from the disease.
The duo formed an amazing friendship and have since helped raise more than $100,000 for Scleroderma Victoria’s research into the disease through various events.

Harrison Pennicott and Dyson Heppell during their beard shaving fundraiser in 2018, which raised more than $60,000 for scleroderma Victoria. Pic: Michael Klein
Such is their bond, Heppell has a small tattoo on the back of his leg of a sunflower, the international scleroderma symbol, and the letter ‘H’.

Heppell came down to Ringwood North’s McAlpin Reserve to celebrate and play some footy with the brothers on Friday, the first thing Harrison wanted to do when he got better.

“I was crying and he was eating ice cream,” the Bombers captain said when he heard Harrison’s good news.

“It’s awesome and it shows the strength and resilience of him.

“He’s managed to grind through this whole period over the last six or seven years, and to get to this point is very special.”

 

[The Prosecutor]

Personally have Watson as the best Captain. Bloody earned that too for what he had to shoulder during those dark years.

 

[Ambrosia]

How does he fit into the side this year?

McGrath looks set to spend plenty of time at HBF.

Cutler looks to have carried on right where he left off in 2021.

I expect he’ll prove me wrong again like last year but we are stacked with HBFers and wingman who are much better athletes then Heppell.

 

[Bjchan13]

How does he fit into the side this year?

McGrath looks set to spend plenty of time at HBF.

Cutler looks to have carried on right where he left off in 2021.

I expect he’ll prove me wrong again like last year but we are stacked with HBFers and wingman who are much better athletes then Heppell.

Cutler has improved but Heppell is still well ahead of him. Cutler has a longer kick and is a better athlete. Heppell is a better overhead mark, better decision maker, better in a contested situation, and a better leader.

 

[owen87]

How does he fit into the side this year?

McGrath looks set to spend plenty of time at HBF.

Cutler looks to have carried on right where he left off in 2021.

I expect he’ll prove me wrong again like last year but we are stacked with HBFers and wingman who are much better athletes then Heppell.

HBF - Wing type role, similar to 2021 I'd think. For a guy who's not our best athlete, he covered the most distance per game for us in 2021 ahead of Snelling and a fair way ahead of #3 Hind.

He's tough as nails, courageous, works up and down the ground all day long and reads the play as well as anyone. He's not being replaced yet.

 

[Ambrosia]

HBF - Wing type role, similar to 2021 I'd think. For a guy who's not our best athlete, he covered the most distance per game for us in 2021 ahead of Snelling and a fair way ahead of #3 Hind.

He's tough as nails, courageous, works up and down the ground all day long and reads the play as well as anyone. He's not being replaced yet.

His big tank and work rate is something I’ve underrated thanks for pointing that out.

I guess that means likely Cutler misses the team which is a bloody good sign considering his form in the back end of 2021 and the practice matches.

 

[owen87]

His big tank and work rate is something I’ve underrated thanks for pointing that out.

I guess that means likely Cutler misses the team which is a bloody good sign considering his form in the back end of 2021 and the practice matches.

Definitely a good thing when we've got guys who are capable of best-22 football not making the starting 22