Here he is... Heeney is ready to take over

[liz]

Much of the reason why Heeney has been unable to sustain a level of performance over his career that raw talent suggests he should have is his propensity to get injured. Usually the kinds of injury that don’t keep him out of the side but that hamper his effectiveness.

He’s not alone in that. Most great players aren’t at their best when having to play through niggling injuries. He’s had an ongoing issue with his ankle that I believe he still has to manage carefully.

I don’t know what has changed this season that’s he’s been able to cope with it better. But I do think it’s one of the reasons he’s not been able to become a full time mid until now.

He’s also a damned fine medium forward, which might be one reason he’s not graduated until now.

 

[Trav 20]

He didn't turn up to the 2022 grand final. He gets his chance at redemption.

 

[RUNVS]

He didn't turn up to the 2022 grand final. He gets his chance at redemption.

He was playing forward in a team where the ball was going forward in the worst possible way that day. Not even Tony Lockett would have been able to have an influence that day.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

He didn't turn up to the 2022 grand final. He gets his chance at redemption.

2 players did Warner and Fox the rest were garbage.

 

[Trav 20]

He was playing forward in a team where the ball was going forward in the worst possible way that day. Not even Tony Lockett would have been able to have an influence that day.

I'm not really into excuses.

 

[RUNVS]

I'm not really into excuses.

You know as well as I that a forward line is very dependent on the rest of the team.

 

[Trav 20]

You know as well as I that a forward line is very dependent on the rest of the team.

Papley managed to have nearly double Heeney's disposals and clearances.

I'm not cutting any player slack when they get 11 disposals on the biggest stage of all. Of course, you can please yourself.

 

[Trav 20]

You know as well as I that a forward line is very dependent on the rest of the team.

Btw, a quick check shows that Heeney attended 8 centre square bounces, or a quarter of the CBAs, in the 2022 GF, so he clearly wasn't confined to the forward-line all game.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Papley managed to have nearly double Heeney's disposals and clearances.

I'm not cutting any player slack when they get 11 disposals on the biggest stage of all. Of course, you can please yourself.

Heeney was the 14th highest rated player on the ground in the 2022 Grand Final. Papley was 17th highest.

In any event Heeney has shown with his 2 BOG's in the 2024 finals he does not lack for ability to deliver in finals. The list of players with consecutive 10 coaches votes in finals is very short. In fact I am not even sure anyone else has done that.

EDIT: Dustin Martin in the 2020 PF and GF got perfect 10's from the coaches. He is the only other player to get 2 of those in a finals series and in both Heeney's case and his they were consecutive matches.

 

[Trav 20]

Heeney was the 14th highest rated player on the ground in the 2022 Grand Final.

I'm sure he's thrilled with his 11 disposal, 2 clearance effort.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

I'm sure he's thrilled with his 11 disposal, 2 clearance effort.

91% disposal efficiency, 7 contested possessions, 1 contested mark, 1 goals, 6 tackles and 19 pressure acts. It is not actually that bad a game for a player playing 75% forward in a team that got poleaxed.

In any event, if he has a strong GF he will have played one of the best very small handful of finals series I have seen in my lifetime, and I was born 1966 and followed footy from a very young age.

 

[Cleansweep17]

Heeney polled lower than I thought.

Hopefully he shows those umps who the real best player in the league is on GF day.

 

[bloodsbigot]

Heeney polled lower than I thought.

Hopefully he shows those umps who the real best player in the league is on GF day.

I hope he was sitting at home seething.