Dyson Heppell to join Collingwood as development coach
Essendon great Dyson Heppell has crossed to a traditional rival to launch his top-level coaching career after working at VFL club Port Melbourne in 2025.
Essendon great Dyson Heppell has joined former rival Collingwood as he launches into a coaching career at the top level.
The revered 253-game Don will join Craig McRae’s team as a development coach.
Heppell retired from Essendon at the end of 2024 and got his first taste of coaching as a playing assistant under Brendan McCartney at VFL club Port Melbourne.
Heppell is contracted at the Borough in 2026.
He will be joined as a new face at the Pies by Greg Stafford, who will be Collingwood’s new ruck coach.
Stafford took in training at Collingwood last week and will return to clubland after last coaching as forwards and ruck mentor at Melbourne, a stint at the Dees that lasted from 2013-24.
Heppell will be part of a different look in the Pies development team in 2026, after Josh Fraser left his post as head of development to join Carlton.
Neville Jetta moved out of the club’s development team to become Collingwood’s academy first nations and multicultural lead.
Former player Matthew Lokan has returned to the Pies as VFL coach.
On the senior panel, Tyson Goldsack has come back to Collingwood from Port Adelaide as defensive coach and Scott Selwood stepped out of football.
Heppell captained the Bombers in 107 matches from 2017-23 and was credited with playing a key role in holding the club together following the supplements saga throughout the 2010s.
The Pies will confirm their complete coaching panel in early 2026, with Heppell potentially given a line to manage in his role.
Originally published as Dyson Heppell to join Collingwood as development coach
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