Essendon captain Dyson Heppell has praised Zach Merrett for his unrelenting determination to improve as a leader and player.

Merrett, who was in the leadership group from 2016 to 2019 before missing out in 2020, was reinstated as a formal leader this year, sharing co-vice-captaincy honours with Andrew McGrath and Michael Hurley.

Heppell said it was a just reward for the dual Crichton medallist, who had taken the disappointment of last year's omission in his stride.

"'Junior' (Merrett) is just awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone work as hard as he does on his game," Heppell said on the latest episode of The Road to 2021.

"He’s had a lot of areas he’s needed to improve on in terms of leadership, but he takes it in his stride. He goes away, works on it, doesn’t sulk, doesn’t sob. He owns that feedback and away he goes. He’s come back an amazing leader this year."

Heppell, who will share leadership group honours with Merrett for the fourth season, has seen first-hand how the 25-year-old's "tremendously high standards" have led to his standing as one of the competition's premier midfielders.

More importantly, he said Merrett had become more effective at bringing his teammates along with him this pre-season.

"We’ve seen his development on-field and that speaks for itself, but I think his ability to cut through to the majority of the playing group from a first-year player to someone in their last couple of years is really impressive," Heppell said.

"He’s able to drive tremendously high standards and sometimes that can eat away at him because he wants everyone to be at that level as well. He’s just so hungry for success. He’s managed to find that balance of understanding where guys are at and then helping them develop.

"He’s certainly played a big part in Darcy Parish and Andy McGrath’s development, so he’s been awesome in diving into that young core group of boys and helping them grow and develop."

A more introverted personality, Merrett said staying true to his leadership style had been a key focus.

He said his approach had jelled with the more extroverted types in the Bombers' leadership group such as Heppell, who he'd long admired.

"Growing up and getting to the club, you think you need to be the best leader in every aspect, but I’m learning that my leadership is more the ability to perform and set the standard for my teammates at the club and on game day," Merrett said.

"I think I’m a more one-on-one leader behind closed doors. I’m not the most extroverted person, but I think I bounce off nicely with Dyson and Andy McGrath, who are more extroverted and really good speakers. I think we complement each other really well.

"Dyson has been my mentor from day one, almost eight years ago. He’s someone I idolised as a teenager. He’s a super player, but it wasn’t until I got to the club that I realised the leader he was and the role model he was for his teammates. We’ve built a really strong relationship over seven or eight years of playing together and being mates off the field as well."

See below for an episode guide for episode four of The Road to 2021.

00:48 - Insights into the VFLW Bombers' preparations for the 2021 season and integration with the men's program, told through head coach Brendan Major, new VFLW captain Georgia Nanscawen and new general manager of football Josh Mahoney.

15:30 - Senior coach Ben Rutten's address to the players ahead of the five-day lockdown.

17:50 - Captain Dyson Heppell and co-vice-captain Zach Merrett on how Rutten is building the Essendon DNA and culture.

19:50 - General manager of football Josh Mahoney on the selection of the four-man leadership group.

20:32 - Merrett on why he idolises Heppell as a leader.

21:45 - Heppell on his outlook and lessons learned after a challenging 2020.

23:16 - Heppell on Merrett as a leader, and insights into Merrett's leadership style.

27:20 - Heppell's stirring address to the team ahead of their first competitive hitout against opposition.