On 12 occasions, Dyson Heppell donned the red and black with pride on Anzac Day.

For five of those, he led the Bombers out as Captain on the home and away season’s biggest stage.

But in 2026, he’s scheming for a black and white win.

In joining the Pies’ coaching staff in a development role earlier this year, the 2024 retiree was forced to put his allegiances to the Dons to the side.

And while he doesn’t have a match day role this week or any other, Heppell has a touchpoint with nearly every player that will run out on the ground this Saturday now he spends his week bettering the Magpies’ squad on the training track.

“It’s a classic,” Heppell laughed when asked how he was feeling ahead of his fist Anzac Day in black and white.

“It’s a pretty special week. It’s one of those ones I think no matter if you’re on Essendon or Collingwood, the vibe in itself and the lead-in to the game is just unbelievably exciting.

“We’re very fortunate to get the opportunity to play on this day but over my career it felt like it was a chance to show our respects for those that have fought and fallen for our country.

“Pretty grateful to be able to do it a number of times and now see it from a different perspective.”

Heppell was out there for some of the greatest Anzac Day moments ever in a career that spanned 253 games, including his last effort in the fixture – the infamous 2024 draw.

The silence that filled the stadium as the final siren rang out that day is only matched by the collective respect shown as the team’s line up for the last post – the types of memories that stand out in his mind when asked about his favourite moments over the journey.

“Coming in, I certainly didn’t know enough about the day within itself and the spirit of the ANZACs in general,” he said.

“In the first couple of years of my career I was gaining the information of the day and learning what it actually meant. Then I probably absorbed and acknowledged the day to a far greater capacity as my career went on.

“Standing there at the minute’s silence I remember thinking ‘this is just incredible’.

“It’s 100,000 people dead silent, you can hear a baby cry on the top tier, and it was just one of these moments that I remembered for the rest of my career.”

It’s what makes him more than qualified to speak to the emotion of the week, a resource the Pies have been tapping into ahead of the Round 7 clash.

Now enjoying the build up from the other side of the fence, Heppell said both Clubs do a brilliant job at educating about the significance of the day, but not letting it get in the way of the usual pre-game preparations.

“It’s pretty similar so far, even having guest speakers come in and present to learn more about it,” Heppell said.

“In terms of the vibe in general, you don’t want to treat it too differently or get too overawed by the occasion and add too many extra elements to the week.

“The first-year boys or the young players go to the Shrine visit earlier in the week and then we have a guest presenter, so it’s been a cool week to be part of on the other side of the fence.”

In those five Anzac Day clashes he was skipper for, his counterpart Scott Pendlebury was there to shake his hand every time as the two broke through the day’s shared banner.

Pendlebury is of course still playing, alongside several veteran Pies who Heppell was fierce opponents with over the course of his career, making his current role all the more full circle.

“Coming in you have a bit of a relationship with them but more so from a healthy respect from a playing point of view,” Heppell said of the likes of Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom.

“But now to actually really understand why they’re so good and why they’ve been in the game for so long and just seeing how they operate on the track and the dynamic that they have and their openness and willingness to share amongst the group is really important.

“Guys just thrive off every word they say and I’m learning a lot off those guys as well.

“I’ve got the coaches hat on but they’re older than me and still plugging away, so it’s a funny dynamic but one that I’m loving.

“He (Pendlebury) was a bit of a mentor and someone that in really looked up to as a kid. I just loved watching him play every week and just getting the opportunity to play against him was pretty special.

“Rolling alongside him here has been really cool and just seeing how he operates day-to-day is pretty special.”

Now having settled into the Club, Heppell’s role is giving him the freedom to be himself.

Brining a fresh perspective and unique energy to the group through his affable nature, the 33-year-old is proving to be a shrewd pick up for the Pies off-field stocks.

“Loving the role so far. Primarily in a development capacity but I’ve got a bit of freedom within my role as well,” he said.

“I’m sitting in on leadership meetings and just learning a lot about the art of coaching. I’ve focussed on building relationships early days and now it’s sort of leading into presenting meetings and things like that as well.

“I’m learning a hell of a lot and really loving the environment that’s been set up for guys to really thrive in.

“It’s great to see guys like Angus Anderson come in and he gets an opportunity and performs and it’s great to see the willingness and thirst that guys have for improvement.”

Anzac Day means a lot to many Australians around the country, but few have the football-centric connection to the occasion like Heppell. Now his perspective has another chapter added to it, as the Pies and Dons clash for the 31st time on the day.