Well rested and well travelled, midfielder Dyson Heppell is looking forward to the beginning of the pre-season.
Heppell has made the most of his off-season travelling with partner Kate to Hamilton Island, Western Australia and most recently to the Tiwi Islands as part of his ambassadorship with SEDA.
Spurred by the appointment of new Coach John Worsfold, Heppell believes this pre-season will put the team in a strong position for 2016.
“I’m really looking forward to the start of the pre-season under the new coach Johnny Worsfold and I think it will be fantastic for the group,” Heppell said.
“It’s an exciting time for the club, we’ve got some great young talent and a bit of movement throughout the trade period.”
Heppell was one of the players involved in the now infamous flight to Adelaide to meet with John Worsfold about the Club’s coaching job.
The 23-year-old joked that he didn’t say much during the meeting, but saw it as an important opportunity to get face-to-face with Worsfold and speak about the Club.
“It was just pitching to him about the shape of the group and the young talent that we do have and the really exciting list that has the potential to really push deep into finals in the coming years,” Heppell said.
“I think that he got excited by the fact we could be a successful side and he’s got the passion for coaching again.”
Coach John Worsfold last week warned this year’s pre-season would be one of the toughest the boys had ever faced, and they should come back from their breaks prepared to work.
“It will be tough. Pre-season is tough, but it has to be because the competition is tough. It preys on the weak and we have to make sure that we are the tough ones and we will prey on every other Club,” Worsfold said at last week’s Member Forum
“There is no finish line and I’m going to challenge these guys to find more than they’ve ever found before in terms of their preparation, but also in terms of their passion for representing the Essendon Football Club.”
The pre-season will kick off for the second to fourth year players next Monday, while the whole team will return later in the month.
