Dyson Heppell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dyson Heppell |
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Heppell playing for Essendon in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Dyson Heppell | ||
| Date of birth | 14 May 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Leongatha, Victoria | ||
| Original team | Gippsland Power (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 8, 2010 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2011, Essendon v. Western Bulldogs, at Etihad Stadium |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder / defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Port Melbourne | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Dyson Heppell (born 14 May 1992) is an Australian rules footballer. He currently plays for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Before this, he played professionally for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Heppell won the AFL Rising Star award in his first year, 2011. He also won a Crichton Medal and was chosen for the All-Australian team in 2014. He was the captain of Essendon from 2017 until 2022. He led the team in 107 games.
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Dyson Heppell's Early Football Journey
Dyson Heppell started playing football with the Auskick program in Leongatha. He then joined the Leongatha Football Club. Later, he played for Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup during 2009 and 2010.
He was named captain of Gippsland Power in 2010. That same year, he played for the Victorian Country team. They competed in the 2010 AFL Under 18 Championships. Heppell was even selected for the All-Australian team at this event. He was 189 cm tall and played as a strong defender. Later in the season, he moved to play in the midfield.
Heppell performed very well in the Morrish Medal count. This award goes to the best and fairest player in the TAC Cup. He tied for the award with Jackson Sketcher. Even though his team finished sixth, they had a great finals series. Heppell had 36 disposals in one win. He was also named best on ground in the preliminary final. This helped his team reach the TAC Cup Grand Final.
Dyson Heppell's AFL Career Highlights
Dyson Heppell impressed many at the AFL draft camp. Experts thought he might be picked among the top five players in the 2010 AFL draft. Some even thought he could be a top three pick. Many believed the Brisbane Lions would choose him. Heppell's smooth skills and strong left foot were compared to Josh Drummond.
A rumour started that Heppell had groin problems. He denied this rumour. Because of this, Essendon Football Club became interested. They had the eighth pick in the draft. Heppell spoke with Essendon's new coach, James Hird. Hird had been watching Heppell for months. He thought Heppell would be picked earlier. But when Heppell was still available, Essendon chose him. Heppell had supported the Bombers as a child. He said being drafted by Essendon was "like a dream."
Becoming an AFL Rising Star
Heppell was nominated for the first AFL Rising Star award in 2011. This was after his very first AFL game. He had 20 possessions against the Western Bulldogs. In his first season, he played every game. He was a key player in helping Essendon reach the finals.
Throughout the year, many believed Heppell would win the Ron Evans Medal. This award goes to the best young player each season. He won the medal with 44 out of 45 possible votes. He was the first Essendon player to win this award. Heppell said winning the award was "a dream come true."
Continued Success and Leadership
Heppell kept improving in his second year. He finished third in Essendon's best and fairest award. This was his second time in the top three. For his first two seasons, he mostly played as a half-back. In 2013, he moved to the midfield. He averaged 24 disposals per game. He received votes for the Brownlow Medal in one game. He had 36 possessions and scored two goals.
Heppell continued to excel in the 2014 season. He won his first Crichton Medal. This is Essendon's best and fairest award. He was also selected for the All-Australian team for the first time. He received 14 votes in the 2014 Brownlow Medal.
In 2016, Heppell missed the entire 2016 AFL season. This was due to an issue with Essendon's sports program from 2012. He returned to play in 2017.
In February 2017, Heppell was named Essendon's new captain. He took over from Brendon Goddard. In December 2019, he signed a new contract. This kept him at the club until 2022. He signed again for 2023. However, he stepped down as captain after six seasons.
On 13 August 2024, Heppell announced he would retire. His last game was for the Bombers. It was against the Brisbane Lions at The Gabba.
Honours and Achievements
Individual Awards
- Essendon captain: 2017–2022
- All-Australian team: 2014
- Crichton Medal: 2014
- Ron Evans Medal: 2011
- Australia representative honours in international rules football: 2015
- AFLPA best first-year player: 2011
- AFLCA best young player of the year: 2012
- 3× 22under22 team: 2012, 2013 (c), 2014 (c)
