DYSON Heppell has become the first Essendon player to win the NAB AFL Rising Star, holding off highly fancied Eagle Luke Shuey in an intriguing vote count at Crown Casino on Wednesday.
Heppell polled 44 votes out of a possible 45. Shuey polled 37 and Gold Coast big man Zac Smith came in third with 21 votes. Gold Coast's David Swallow and West Coast's Jack Darling rounded out the top five.
All season long, Heppell and Shuey were considered the strong favourites to take out the Ron Evans Medal after earning the first two nominations of the year.
The 19-year-old was voted the winner by a panel comprising chairman and AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou, AFL general manager football operations Adrian Anderson, AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan and former stars Kevin Bartlett, Danny Frawley, Glen Jakovich, Luke Darcy, Leigh Matthews and Mark Ricciuto.
Heppell did not miss a game this year, playing mainly off half-back and in the midfield. He averaged 21.5 possessions.
After winning the 2010 Morrish Medal for the best and fairest in the TAC Cup, Heppell was touted as a potential top five pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft but slipped through to the Bombers at pick eight.
The circumstances that led to Heppell dropping to pick eight was reported to have come because some clubs had concerns over his groins after hearing reports that he had suffered osteitis pubis.
But that was just a case of Chinese whispers, according to Heppell.
"The groin is not a problem at all. I haven't felt it at all. That was completely out of proportion. I had no groin trouble at all," Heppell told afl.com.au after his nomination for the award in round one.
While frustrating at the time, the rumours were a blessing for Heppell, who not only became the only top 10 draft pick to remain in his home state, but also joined the club he barracked for.
One of his biggest influences has been his childhood hero and now coach James Hird.
The pair's first meeting came the night before the draft when the Essendon legend visited the Heppell family caravan in Burleigh Heads to get to know the man he hoped to draft.
His guidance and advice was a constant for Heppell throughout the season and was crucial in helping him gather 20 touches and getting a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in his first AFL game against the Bulldogs in round one.
Hird had intended to nurse Heppell through his debut season but had no real opportunity to drop him as his consistency and, ironically, lack of injury kept him in the team.
"We'd like to give him a rest somewhere along the line but every game seems to be more important than the last one," Hird said in July.
As it turned out, Heppell played all 22 games and is sure to be a key part of Essendon's coming finals campaign.
As well as becoming the first Essendon player to win the award, Heppell has become the first graduate of TAC Cup team Gippsland Power to win the Rising Star, an impressive feat considering the Power have provided the League with stars such as Brendon Goddard, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas and Jarryd Roughead.
THE VOTES
1. Dyson Heppell (Ess) 44
2. Luke Shuey (WC) 37
3. Zac Smith (GC) 21
4. David Swallow (GC) 18
5. Jack Darling (WC) 6
6. Sam Reid (Syd) 5
=7. Andrew Gaff (WC) 1
=7. Trent McKenzie (GC) 1
=7. Jack Steven (StK) 1
=7. Daniel Menzel (Geel) 1
