Will Dyson Heppell captain the bombers in 2023?
Having held the role for six seasons, is it the right time for Heppell to hand over the reigns as the 30-year-old nears the end of a brilliant career.
Battling both form and injury, SEN’s Julian de Stoop wonders if Essendon are going well under new coach Brad Scott whether Heppell’s spot in the side is a lock, prompting him to ask the question, who is next in line to lead the Bombers?
“If Essendon is having a good year this year, Dyson Heppel should be in a fight to keep his spot in this time and that would be a sign that Essendon is going well if he’s under pressure to keep his spot," De Stoop said.
“There’s not many options at Essendon, they don’t have the luxury of a Collingwood for example where you can reel off Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard, Taylor Adams, Jack Crisp and Jeremy Howe who all look like captaincy material.”
Star midfielder Zach Merrett is tipped to lead the race should Heppell hand over the role, but De Stoop believes defender Mason Redman is the “standout” option.
“I think the one that shows really good leadership quality, but maybe is not quite there in terms of he needs another really good season to cement himself as a really good AFL player is Mason Redman,” De Stoop added.
“Redman is the one for me that stands out with a bit of leadership, he’s physical, he’s got a bit of extravert about him which is always handy in a captain.
“There’s not many candidates to take over if it isn’t Dyson again this year.”
Essendon kicks off their 2023 campaign against Hawthorn on Sunday, March 19.