Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell has spoken to the Gold Coast Suns about a potential move, but the Suns are yet to table a mooted four-year offer that would involve two years of coaching.
Heppell, 30 and in his 12th season with the Bombers, has a one-year offer on the table from Essendon, who want to retain their captain of the past six years.
The Suns recognize that, if they wanted to land Heppell, it would require a contract offer that involves two years with a further two years in coaching – the kind of arrangement that saw Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge leave the Hawks to join West Coast and the Brisbane Lions respectively, although Hodge ultimately opted out of the coaching path.
Essendon’s Dyson Heppell.Credit:AFL Photos/Getty Images
Industry sources have confirmed that, despite a conversation with Heppell and his management, the Suns are yet to table the offer that I know would be necessary for the skipper to seriously consider ending his playing days in another state.
Gold Coast have had a tight salary cap, but some space would open up if highly talented forward Izak Rankine took up what is said to be a massive offer from the Adelaide Crows. The Suns are now much less confident of retaining Rankine, who is from South Australia, given that they cannot match the kind of financial terms on offer from Adelaide.
Heppell is an unrestricted free agent and could simply cross to another club without a trade if he had an attractive offer.
Sources familiar with the Heppell scenario said the Bombers had a strong desire to retain the veteran, who has been a skipper since 2017 and is a popular figure with teammates, officials and fans. He has provided stability for a team that otherwise had lacked for strong leadership within the playing group.
The success of Hodge’s stint with the Lions has promoted other clubs to consider recruiting decorated and respected senior players for twilight stints in which the veteran mentors younger teammates, improves the cachet of their new club and effectively acts as a coach on the field.
North Melbourne are in the market for a player who could fulfill a Hodge-at-Brisbane style role, as the Kangaroos seek to improve their leadership and development of a young list that has relatively few senior players.
Heppell, who made All-Australian and took the best and fairest club in 2014, has had a solid season at half-back this year, averaging 22 disposals and 313 meters gained. He has finished top three in the best and fairest at Essendon six times.