Essendon veteran Dyson Heppell has announced he will retire at the end of the AFL season. The former captain told teammates of his decision on Tuesday morning. Heppell has played 252 games for the Bombers since being taken with pick No.
8 in the 2010 AFL draft. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The 32-year-old has been in and out of the side the past month, and wasn’t selected for the heartbreaking loss to Gold Coast on Saturday night. It remains to be seen whether he is given a farewell game, but Friday night’s clash against Sydney is looming as the final chance Bombers fans will get to see him.
Essendon face the Swans at Marvel Stadium before taking on Brisbane in the final round. Needing to win both those games and have other results fall their way, the chances of making the finals are very slim. Heppell ends his career as one of the Essendon greats.
“I’ve been wrestling with the decision for a number of weeks and it’s a decision that certainly hasn’t come lightly or been an easy one but one that I’m super content with,” Heppell said. “In my own mind I always wanted to call it a day while I was still playing decent footy and that if it got to a point where we’ve got other boys primed and ready to play my role then I know it’s time. No doubt there’s a little competitive dog part of me that’s in my ear telling me to go one more but after considering all possibilities and having the opportunity to go out on my own terms it just feels li.