Player Watch #5 Isaac Heeney: 2024 All Australian

[Kennedy Parker]

Isaac Heeney

Isaac Heeney

5

Isaac Heeney

Age

28

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.7

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

5.5

3star

M

4.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.8

3star

is a crowd favourite and one of the best young players in the competition. The QBE Sydney Swans Academy graduate won the 2018 AFL Mark of the Year award, was selected in the AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 team in two of his eligible four years and played his 100th senior game in 2019. Heeney can be used in the midfield, forward line – where he booted four goals in star teammate Lance Franklin’s absence in Round 20 last year – or as a loose man in defence.

Isaac Heeney

5

Isaac Heeney

Age

28

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.7

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

5.5

3star

M

4.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.8

3star

DOB: 05 May 1996
DEBUT: 2015
DRAFT: #18, 2014 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Cardiff (NSW)

Isaac Heeney | AFL

Follow Isaac Heeney's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Nuggetz]

His balance is amazing. He has the best combination of balance, power & athleticism I've seen. I'm going to sit back and enjoy the midfield heeney as much as I can.

 

[Nuggetz]

He's already catching out defences with mismatches when he rest & transitions forward.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

100% fully fit and flying Isaac Heeney is the best player to watch we ever had, better than Buddy, Goodes etc Imo

Over to the unpopular opinions thread Buddy!!

 

[caesar88]

FWIW I've heard through the grapevine that the reason the club wasn't overly concerned about the Parker & Adams injuries back-to-back is because the plan this year is to give each player shifts in the midfield, so there was likely going to be a period where neither featured in the midfield much anyway. There will be blocks of games where certain players are in the guts more than others, and then blocks of games where it will be vice versa. Constantly rotating. In that sense, we will be a nightmare for your Fantasy & Supercoach teams, and Brownlow, AA campaigns etc. may end up derailed.

It's a strategic thing to keep things unpredictable, as well as a management thing so that no one is going into the back end of the year having the wear and tear of playing in the guts for 20 weeks straight. Last year going into the finals, three of our inside mids were hampered.

^ Others words, not mine. (I've made quite clear I like a smaller, more fixed midfield group, but alas...)

Was also told that a similar thing could happen with Grundy & Ladhams as the season goes on, something akin to a 5-1 split of games (and this was why they were so keen to get match practice into Ladhams with the mids during pre-season rather than just trying to shoe-horn him into a forward role - they see him as potentially a legitimate contributor in the ruck this year.)

So yeah there probably will be periods when Heeney's not in the mids. And that should be fine. If not having him in there is our undoing then we probably aren't winning a flag anyway. If his block of "resting" games is him being in the position he's won an All Australian in, that's a pretty good spot to be in.

Let's hope we can stay as fit as possible so this approach can play out as we hope.

 

[Jewelsbon]

FWIW I've heard through the grapevine that the reason the club wasn't overly concerned about the Parker & Adams injuries back-to-back is because the plan this year is to give each player shifts in the midfield, so there was likely going to be a period where neither featured in the midfield much anyway. There will be blocks of games where certain players are in the guts more than others, and then blocks of games where it will be vice versa. Constantly rotating. In that sense, we will be a nightmare for your Fantasy & Supercoach teams, and Brownlow, AA campaigns etc. may end up derailed.

It's a strategic thing to keep things unpredictable, as well as a management thing so that no one is going into the back end of the year having the wear and tear of playing in the guts for 20 weeks straight. Last year going into the finals, three of our inside mids were hampered.

^ Others words, not mine. (I've made quite clear I like a smaller, more fixed midfield group, but alas...)

Was also told that a similar thing could happen with Grundy & Ladhams as the season goes on, something akin to a 5-1 split of games (and this was why they were so keen to get match practice into Ladhams with the mids during pre-season rather than just trying to shoe-horn him into a forward role - they see him as potentially a legitimate contributor in the ruck this year.)

So yeah there probably will be periods when Heeney's not in the mids. And that should be fine. If not having him in there is our undoing then we probably aren't winning a flag anyway. If his block of "resting" games is him being in the position he's won an All Australian in, that's a pretty good spot to be in.

Let's hope we can stay as fit as possible so this approach can play out as we hope.

Pretty smart and logical plan, not only takes the pressure off and gives everyone a break, opposition coaches would be tearing their hair out trying to plan against us. Also a huge advantage (if everything goes to plan) come finals as we will have worked through so many combinations, the coaches will know exactly which players to put in the guts to give us maximum results.

 

[ashep]

100% fully fit and flying Isaac Heeney is the best player to watch we ever had, better than Buddy, Goodes etc Imo

 

[Jimbo OZ]

This remind me of the quote "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face".

I like the premise of it but it will be tested when you rotate in-form players and you lose a game or two that you should've won.

 

[MR0808]

This remind me of the quote "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face".

I like the premise of it but it will be tested when you rotate in-form players and you lose a game or two that you should've won.

Like against essendon this weekend?

 

[The King!]

Like against essendon this weekend?

 

[caesar88]

This remind me of the quote "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face".

I like the premise of it but it will be tested when you rotate in-form players and you lose a game or two that you should've won.

I guess the argument that could be made is that no one stays "in-form" forever (unless your initials are JPK.) Players and groups get figured out by opposition, so rotations would be the way to preemptively keep the midfield fresh and firing to prevent the punch in the face from even happening at all.

 

[Jimbo OZ]

I guess the argument that could be made is that no one stays "in-form" forever (unless your initials are JPK.) Players and groups get figured out by opposition, so rotations would be the way to preemptively keep the midfield fresh and firing to prevent the punch in the face from even happening at all.

As I said, I get the premise, I just think it comes with risk. No one can predict when a player is going to have a form slump. I think it would be better to continue rotating in game rather than game to game.

 

[caesar88]

As I said, I get the premise, I just think it comes with risk. No one can predict when a player is going to have a form slump. I think it would be better to continue rotating in game rather than game to game.

I don't think the changes will be that abrupt. Most likely phasing one guy out and another in over a few games, etc. etc. Rather than having three blokes leading the midfield then a completely different three the next week. In all likelihood if we go through with it, I think the changes in positions and roles will be that incremental we'll barely notice it week to week but over a 2 or 3 week period it will be noticeable.

I think that is probably what the club's hoping for. Being able to turn over the midfield group at various stages throughout the season and not have any of those changes feel noticeable to the midfield's overall performance.

 

[Nuggetz]

I don't think the changes will be that abrupt. Most likely phasing one guy out and another in over a few games, etc. etc. Rather than having three blokes leading the midfield then a completely different three the next week. In all likelihood if we go through with it, I think the changes in positions and roles will be that incremental we'll barely notice it week to week but over a 2 or 3 week period it will be noticeable.

I think that is probably what the club's hoping for. Being able to turn over the midfield group at various stages throughout the season and not have any of those changes feel noticeable to the midfield's overall performance.

Horse has made it clear in his pressers he wants to numerous players through the midfield to keep them fresh for back end of games. Someone said we used 6-7 players through the midfield last game, when the team is fully fit then we'll have around 6 legit mids to run through our midfield. I really like that amount of players, I think it's also why we're seeing the likes of Rowbottom playing across the fwd line on occasions.

 

[BloodySwan]

We have a midfield where Heeney can rest, Warner or Gulden can play centre stage. Enviable position to be in

 

[The Gong]

He's one of those class players where time just seems to slow down for him. He's not a speedster but he just weaves through traffic and gets the options he wants.

 

[caesar88]

 

[The King!]

Cotchin ....You really do get a media gig with every life membership

 

[Citrus22]

Make that 3 in a row and absolutely no signs of slowing down

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Make that 3 in a row and absolutely no signs of slowing down

Best player in the comp right now

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Looks to be around a different woman every couple of months going by Instagram.

 

[ashep]

On at least 7 votes and I've given him 9 although Merrett came very close to pipping him tonight. If he stays in the guts he's finishing top 5 at worst.

Would be close to the best ambidextrous kick in the comp.

 

[MR0808]

Looks to be around a different woman every couple of months going by Instagram.

As long as they are all Sydney based, who cares

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

As long as they are all Sydney based, who cares

Can not confirm nor deny

 

[The King!]

Give him 24/7 security please, so he stays safe

 

[RUNVS]

So, everyone ready for Heeney to be a forward again come round 6?