Essendon captain Dyson Heppell will return for at least one more season as a Bomber after considering a shock move to Gold Coast.
Heppell returned from Europe in recent days and was part of Sunday night’s Brownlow Medal coverage, with the club confirming on Tuesday he had re-signed for one year.
Essendon promoted the 30-year-old’s commitment as him becoming a Bomber for life but there is no suggestion he will retire at the end of next season.
“It has been one of the greatest honours of my life to captain the club I grew up supporting,” Heppell said.
“The Essendon Football Club is my second home, and to see out my playing career here as a one-club player is incredibly special.
“Although this year has been tough, I have real belief in our playing group and I’m committed to continuing to support the growth of this program.
“I look forward to working with our new coach and putting in a big pre-season together as we build towards 2023.”
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Heppell played all 22 games this year, including his 200th in round 9 against Sydney, in a variety of roles after no longer being used as a full-time midfielder since last season.
He has captained the Bombers for the past six years but there is a good chance that role will be passed Zach Merrett and/or Andy McGrath, who formed a streamlined three-man leadership group with Heppell in 2022.
Essendon is still on the hunt for a new coach after sacking Ben Rutten at season’s end.
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