A rousing pre-game address from skipper Dyson Heppell to a huddle which saw Essendon legends of yesteryear locked arm-in-arm with the current players has failed to arrest the Bombers’ slide.
Heppell’s passionate address was the highlight of the night as Essendon marked its 150th anniversary with a terrific pre-game presentation which included the likes of James Hird, Kevin Sheedy and Matthew Lloyd.
Unfortunately for Heppell and the struggling Bombers, the stirring scenes before the bounce were not enough to help the 2-10 Bombers overcome their arch-rivals, Carlton, who ran out 12. 8. (80) to 7. 12. (54) winners at the MCG.
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Heppell, who has attracted plenty of criticism during his tenure as skipper for being too friendly at times, was as fired up as ever, tugging at his jersey and the Bombers emblem on his chest a number of times in a bid to fire up his charges.
“You can’t quite pick all of that up and I’m not sure if we’re allowed to, to be perfectly honest, but that’s a big moment,” Melbourne great Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy’s coverage.
“That is a really big moment in the history of this footy club. It doesn’t get much more significant than that.”
“This man’s been under a lot of pressure. He joined us (on Fox Footy’s On the Couch) only three or four weeks ago and you could tell how much this football club meant to him. It was heartfelt. And he’s still addressing his team with Essendon royalty arm in arm, including that man back, James Hird.”
“That’s as symbolic as it gets, Gaz,” former St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt added.
While Essendon was unable to secure a win on its big night, Heppell’s pre-game speech attracted plenty of praise.
Heppell’s stunning address to the Bombers players was one of the highlights of the pre-game ceremony, along with the entrance of Hird, in a rare official appearance for Essendon since the club’s infamous supplements saga.
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The 2000 premiership skipper entered onto the hallowed MCG turf through a cloud of smoke and was met with a hearty ovation from the Bombers faithful in attendance as he repeatedly raised his Bombers scarf to the sky.
Kevin Sheedy, Essendon’s last premiership coach, also made a stunning entrance, coming onto the ground via the aisles, waving his jacket above his head as he famously did against the West Coast Eagles during the 1993 season in what has become an iconic moment.
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