Essendon coach Brad Scott has made no apologies for staying loyal to Dyson Heppell regardless of doubts the previous Bombers skipper deserved choice for Sunday’s conflict in opposition to GWS at Marvel Stadium.
Heppell has made a gradual begin to the season for a Bombers aspect which was overwhelmed final Saturday by 18 factors by St Kilda.
It was Essendon’s first lack of a marketing campaign which began with back-to-back wins.
However, the defeat hasn’t led to Scott axing the 30-year-old Heppell.
“He’ll be in the team this week and I understand there will be a focus on a lot of the more senior players in a lot of teams across the AFL, but what Dyson Heppell has done for this club over a 10-year-plus period has been absolutely critical,” Scott stated on Friday.
“Right where we’re at in terms of our evolution as a team, Dyson’s a really important player for what we’re doing.
“The value that Dyson brings is immeasurable. His leadership, his sense of calm when things aren’t particularly going well … and with a young and inexperienced group, it’s really important to have seniority around them.
“The positives that Dyson brings are really hard to see publicly. You certainly don’t see them on the stats sheet.
“He’s a really proud competitor and he’s a really important person and player for us.
“We pick the team, not anyone else, so the best 22 is what we think.”
That 22 may even embody ahead Jake Stringer, who struggled to make an impression in opposition to the Saints in his return from a hamstring damage.
“We really struggled to bring the ball to ground inside our forward-50 at the start of the game and Jake played that role for us and did it really well,” Scott stated.
“He played the role that we’re asking him to. We’re not asking him to do any more or any less than just his role for the team.”
Scott stated the Bombers had been “still a work in progress”.
“There have been some positives to start the year, and some things that we need to continue to work on and evolve,” he stated,
Scott anticipated the Giants to offer the Bombers a tricky problem on Sunday.
“They’re a quality side. They obviously didn’t have the year they wanted last year, but they’ve still got a lot of capability,” he stated.
“They’re probably adjusting to a different coaching system, as are we. They’re certainly a dangerous side.”
Originally revealed as Essendon coach Brad Scott defends choice to choose Dyson Heppell
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
