Former Essendon captain Tim Watson has given his thoughts on the current leadership situation at his old club.
Dyson Heppell remains skipper of the side, though the Dons are yet to confirm their leadership group for the 2023 season.
Speaking with Garry Lyon on SEN Breakfast, Watson wonders whether there is a single logical replacement for Heppell.
Watson: “What do you think Essendon should do about Dyson Heppell? I thought Dyson was finished as Essendon captain. I thought he’d actually said ‘okay, I’m moving on as skipper’ and that they were going to find a replacement and then late last week we learned that he is very much still in the frame. They have their team photo taken and he was positioned where the skipper usually sits. Are you now believing Heppell will still be the captain of Essendon?”
Lyon: “I watched your interview with Brad Scott where he said if Heppell wants to be captain, then he’ll probably still be captain. That’s what Brad Scott said.”
Watson: “He said that on Friday. He didn’t say exactly that, but he didn’t rule him out being the captain either. I don’t know why I thought this, but I just assumed that Dyson had just ruled himself out as captain.”
Lyon: “I did too.”
Watson: “He is a great clubman. He wins the best clubman awards year after year because he’s very empathetic towards people and is loved within the dressing room at Essendon. Having watched him play, and this is purely on watching him play, I would think he is reaching that period of his twilight of his career where he’s not necessarily going to be a walk-up certainty to be in the team and that’s why I thought they were moving on and would find another leader, whether that would be singular or dual captains.”
Lyon: “There was a time last year where he didn’t look like he was in their best 18.”
Watson: “And that happens to everybody. You get to a point in your career where you’re no longer one of the better players and someone takes your spot in the side. I think you’d need to think long and hard about your captain … they would have to be somebody that you consider to be a walk-up start each and every week.”
Lyon: “Is that not Zach Merrett?”
Watson: “It could be Merrett. It could be Mason Redman.”
Lyon: “It’s Zach Merrett. From the outside, Zach Merrett, who flirted with the leadership and then was bounced out and then did some work on himself, came back, played great footy, got a better understanding of what leadership is all about. He looks to me like he’s that natural leader of that group and now would be a good time with he and Brad Scott.”
Watson: “When I spoke to Brad, he didn’t rule out the idea of dual captains either and I thought maybe they don’t see somebody necessarily as having all the qualities. It works for Sydney.”
Heppell played all 22 games for the Bombers in 2022, bringing his career total to 213.
