Brad Scott explains why Dyson Heppell wasn’t picked for farewell Essendon match

An Essendon great has questioned the decision to deny former captain Dyson Heppell a farewell game in Melbourne after he was left out of the team to face Sydney.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Dyson Heppell of the Bombers greets fans during the round 23 AFL match between Essendon Bombers and Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium, on August 16, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has questioned Brad Scott’s decision to leave Dyson Heppell out of the team to face Sydney and deny the former captain a Melbourne farewell.

Scott has left the door ajar for Heppell to play in round 24 at the Gabba against Brisbane.

But several fans and past players were left bemused by Heppell not being in the team which lost to Sydney by 39 points on Friday night.

Lloyd said Heppell’s presence would have given the Bombers a lift as they tried to keep their slim finals chances alive.

“Some will say ‘good on Brad Scott for selection integrity and just picking his best team’. But I think the majority would say that they would have loved to have seen Dyson play tonight, for all that he’s given to the club, and through all the tough times that he’s always been there and stood so strong for his club,” Lloyd said on 3AW.

“I personally would’ve loved to have seen it. I don’t think he would have hindered their performance and I think for him, his family, his friends, potentially even a lift for the group, I would’ve loved to have seen it.

“I love Dyson. I just think he has made as much of an impact on that club as anybody in the last 10-15 years.

“I think it would mean a lot for the group of players - Zach Merrett and the senior players. I think would have thought, ‘how good is this that (we) are farewelling a champion’.”

Lloyd said playing Heppell would have been a sign of “respect” for his contribution to the Bombers over a 252-game career.

Premiership coach Leigh Matthews disagreed with Lloyd’s sentiment and said he was against the idea of players being “gifted” farewells.

“If I’m coach, I am picking the best team,” Matthews said.

On Fox Footy, Cameron Mooney said: “Why wouldn’t you have played him? It was just there for you to play him. I know you’re trying to play finals, this is why you play him.

“We would have inspired his teammates. His teammates absolutely love and adore him. You could have played him at sub, at worst.

“Menzie, Jones and a couple of these other kids...this guy would have been a hell of a lot better tonight.

“When you’re trying to play finals...his teammates would have gone above and beyond for this man. This is a captain who led your club through the s*** that you guys had to go through.

“I think you just made a massive blue by not playing him.”

SCOTT EXPLAINS HEPPELL FAREWELL GAME SNUB

— Chris Cavanagh

Essendon coach Brad Scott has defended the decision not to hand retiring champion Dyson Heppell a farewell game in Melbourne, saying the selfless former captain did not want to push a teammate out to do so.

Heppell announced his retirement during the week but is still training and was available for selection for the Bombers’ clash with Sydney on Friday night.

It is Essendon’s last game in Melbourne ahead of a final-round clash with the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba next Saturday night.

Essendon fans gave Dyson Heppell plenty of love after his brilliant career with the Bombers ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4JSwrBzDXS

— AFL (@AFL) August 16, 2024

“Dyson Heppell’s led our club through a really tumultuous period and it speaks to him again that he was very explicit about the fact that he knew it would be time for him to call time on his career when there were players ready and able to take his spot in the team,” Scott said on Fox Footy.

“He’s still available for selection. We’re still right in the hunt, so he’s training as hard as ever. But he’s really explicit about the fact that if there’s a player that’s performing in his spot then they should take that spot.”

Dyson Heppell says goodbye to the Essendon fans. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Heppell has featured in 17 matches this season but has missed the past two games after being dropped ahead of a round 21 win over Fremantle.

The 32-year-old has played 252 AFL games since debuting in 2011, but has featured in just five finals and has never recorded a finals win.

Watching Dyson Heppell on @FOXFOOTY walking the boundary & interacting so genuinely with young fans is equally gorgeous and sad to see. Not into gifting games by any stretch but gee, after everything, feels like a farewell game would have been justified. #AFLBombersSwans

— Lauren Wood (@LaurenHeraldSun) August 16, 2024

Essendon was 10th on the ladder heading into the clash with the ladder-leading Swans, its slim finals hopes still alive despite an after-the-siren loss to the Gold Coast Suns last weekend.