Essendon captain Dyson Heppell doesn’t “owe” Essendon anything and the club wouldn’t begrudge him joining Gold Coast next season, according to Bombers coach Ben Rutten.
The Suns have reportedly tabled a four-year deal to the out-of-contract defender, comprising two years as a player and two as an assistant coach.
But Essendon have also offered Heppell a new contract, believed to be far inferior to the Suns’ deal, and Rutten said the Bombers weren’t putting a timeline on when they needed Heppell to make a decision on his future.
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“He is really clear on where he stands with us and we’d love to have him around next year. He knows that,” Rutten said at Tullamarine on Wednesday.
“He’s been a great servant for our footy club, he doesn’t owe us anything, so we’ll be really supportive of Dyson and all of our players whatever decisions they make.”
While Rutten said there would be “something special” about seeing Heppell finish his career as a one-club player, he tempered that by saying it wasn’t “the be all and end all” in the modern era – a view backed up by the likes of Hawthorn premiership heroes Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis all finishing their glittering careers at other clubs.
Meanwhile, veteran defender Michael Hurley won’t play against Port Adelaide on Sunday evening despite continuing to make progress after overcoming a nasty hip infection that has sidelined him for the past two seasons.
He has now played four VFL games, and while he might be a chance to play Richmond in the final round, Rutten still couldn’t guarantee that or whether Hurley would be offered a new contract for next year.
“It’s something we are thinking through, the dynamics of that, there’s still some uncertainty around ‘Hurls’ moving forward,” Rutten said.
“We haven’t made a decision on what we’re doing there but there’s plenty of options for us.”
Rutten admitted the uncertainty surrounding Hurley’s playing future could affect his prospects of playing against the Tigers next week.
“There’s a fair bit to weigh up from our end, from Hurls’ end, which we’re talking through all the time,” Rutten said.
“He understands the rigors of AFL footy and the demands that you have to be up for.
“At the moment, he’s getting through a game and a half a training session – that’s not sustainable for him, or for anyone, to play a full season of footy.
“I think he’s still got the passion to play and the desire, (but) marrying that up with the physical part of it is the bit he and we are working through at the moment.”
One factor that might earn Hurley a new contract is Essendon being light on for experienced players.
There are only three players aged 30 or older at the Bombers this year – Hurley, Heppell and ruckman Andrew Phillips.
“They’re certainly the things that we’re considering, that’s all part of the bigger picture for us,” he said.
“It’s important that we best support our less experienced players through the early parts of their career.
“In his time out, he’s spent a lot of time with our younger key position players in particular, and he’s now loving playing with them and they’re loving playing with him.”
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