Player Watch #5 Isaac Heeney

[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

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Interestingly, the Brownlow predictor has Heeney and Rozee equal at 12 points, yet in the coaches votes, Rozee has just over half the points of Heeney's at 24.
I've been overseas for most of the season so far, so therefore haven't seen any of Ports games, but I can't say I've read anywhere near the ravings about Rozee that I have on Heeney.
Are they really in the same ballpark as the Brownlow predictor says or is the coaches votes the more accurate?

Will depend on how Rozee polls in losses he was brilliant in Ports losses but they did lose.If I were to guess Heeney would be a couple in front but Rozee polled in losses last year

 

[Kiama Chris]

Will depend on how Rozee polls in losses he was brilliant in Ports losses but they did lose.If I were to guess Heeney would be a couple in front but Rozee polled in losses last year

Rozee won't have polled this weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if Heeney got 2 as backmen are invisible to umps.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Rozee won't have polled this weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if Heeney got 2 as backmen are invisible to umps.

Agree on this weekend for Rozee probably the only one he doesn’t poll in though. Butters probably gets a vote in a losing side in that match going off memory. Heeney gets the 3 this weekend

 

[Kirkswan]

he's the best player this year ... who'd come close?

Without putting him down, because I'm a fan... Butters at Port. I'd think at this early stage he would be the only rival for the Brownlow.

 

[bedford]

Agree on this weekend for Rozee probably the only one he doesn’t poll in though. Butters probably gets a vote in a losing side in that match going off memory. Heeney gets the 3 this weekend

Let's just win the flag and hope it's a bonus

 

[Kirkswan]

Longmire talked quite a bit earlier in the season about Heeney and his injury challenges. My take from it was that he is a player where injuries (and he has had some really awkward ones - like his ankle challenges) really take a toll on his ability to perform near his best. They needn't be 'massive' injuries as such. But some players are great at playing through niggles and playing with injuries, while other players just can't produce anywhere near their best, even if they are only carrying fairly minor injuries/complaints. From what Longmire said - it sounds like Heeney probably sits closer to that second category than the first.

Gosh I hope he has a full season without injuries this year - as its been spectacular so far, and you feel like he is only just getting going and will get better.

Wow! From what I've heard Longmire say over the years, I gained totally the opposite impression.

My take has been that Heeney can play with just about any injury and still perform at the level required and fill the role. For years, and due to any number of factors such as injury, youth, lack of specific role players, etc., Heeney has played whatever role the team needs filling; allowing other less flexible players to the only roles they were then suited to. I couldn't count the number of times Longmire has lauded him for playing the role, playing through injury and always, always, getting the job done.

I think that this year, with the introduction of Grundy, Adams and Jordan, the team finally has all the pieces to enable Heeney to be set free; there are now enough role players who can do the job, and Heeney is now free to play wherever he feels is needed or can best impact the game at the time.

Mind you I've never played, this is just what think and I've been wrong more than once or twice before...

 

[rustycrate]

And most midfielders can't take marks like him

And that is what sets him apart from other midfielders and forwards of his size. He bats higher up the order than some full forwards of much more height because of his insane marking. That is what sets him apart from any other midfielder. Because he is not just a midfielder. He is a full forward in a smaller mans body as well.
Mids are a dime a dozen. Full forwards are paid more because they are rarer. Heeney is Mr in between who can go with the best mids and also out mark some of the best forwards.
He also kicks both sides.
He also moves mid air like a cat. Twisting insanely. And I hate cats.
He is one touch. Does little one touches and links up again to take the receive.
He is tough. Loves the tough stuff.
And has a smile after every game.
Truly says it all.

 

[Kirkswan]

Interestingly, the Brownlow predictor has Heeney and Rozee equal at 12 points, yet in the coaches votes, Rozee has just over half the points of Heeney's at 24.
I've been overseas for most of the season so far, so therefore haven't seen any of Ports games, but I can't say I've read anywhere near the ravings about Rozee that I have on Heeney.
Are they really in the same ballpark as the Brownlow predictor says or is the coaches votes the more accurate?

Lol! I thought it was Butters! Must be Rozee... can't say I watch many of their games, just a flick through now and then and read a bit of the post game stuff

 

[the hypnotoad]

Without putting him down, because I'm a fan... Butters at Port. I'd think at this early stage he would be the only rival for the Brownlow.

agree on butters, which makes it even more surprising that rozee is apparently polling better
however, taking into account the umpires' "sydney tax", butters and rozee are probably among a leading group of eight players, none of them swans ... heeney has one point, one behind grundy as the swans' highest-polling player ... as a high-profile ex-victorian player, grundy has name recognition among umpires

i'm kidding, of course, umpires are very fair, and see things clearly and without bias

 

[Kiama Chris]

Agree on this weekend for Rozee probably the only one he doesn’t poll in though. Butters probably gets a vote in a losing side in that match going off memory. Heeney gets the 3 this weekend

Possible but Grundy?

 

[Kiama Chris]

Wow! From what I've heard Longmire say over the years, I gained totally the opposite impression.

My take has been that Heeney can play with just about any injury and still perform at the level required and fill the role. For years, and due to any number of factors such as injury, youth, lack of specific role players, etc., Heeney has played whatever role the team needs filling; allowing other less flexible players to the only roles they were then suited to. I couldn't count the number of times Longmire has lauded him for playing the role, playing through injury and always, always, getting the job done.

I think that this year, with the introduction of Grundy, Adams and Jordan, the team finally has all the pieces to enable Heeney to be set free; there are now enough role players who can do the job, and Heeney is now free to play wherever he feels is needed or can best impact the game at the time.

Mind you I've never played, this is just what think and I've been wrong more than once or twice before...

Reckon it's a decent take. Maybe not 100% but close enough.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

In horse racing terms he is the Vo Rogue of the field. Leading by 20 lengths and with all the other hopefuls checking each other and making no ground.

 

[bedford]

In horse racing terms he is the Vo Rogue of the field. Leading by 20 lengths and with all the other hopefuls checking each other and making no ground.

Pride of Jenni these days sport , she runs fast

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Pride of Jenni these days sport , she runs fast

Saw that run- impressive. No one does it better than Vo Rogue though.

I like fast horses.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Possible but Grundy?

Ruckmen very rarely get the votes but he was up there for sure for the record have it Heeney 3, Florent 2, Grundy 1.

 

[Swannie0307]

Interestingly, the Brownlow predictor has Heeney and Rozee equal at 12 points, yet in the coaches votes, Rozee has just over half the points of Heeney's at 24.
I've been overseas for most of the season so far, so therefore haven't seen any of Ports games, but I can't say I've read anywhere near the ravings about Rozee that I have on Heeney.
Are they really in the same ballpark as the Brownlow predictor says or is the coaches votes the more accurate?

Don’t forget the Brownlow is voted on by umpires
… hence it’s a bit of a lottery and I’m not as bullish as others that Issac already has 16 or so votes… at this stage , I’d be happy with at least the 12 that the Predictor has come up with.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Don’t forget the Brownlow is voted on by umpires
… hence it’s a bit of a lottery and I’m not as bullish as others that Issac already has 16 or so votes… at this stage , I’d be happy with at least the 12 that the Predictor has come up with.

Yes agreed. If he's on 12 after 6 games he's going okay

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Don’t forget the Brownlow is voted on by umpires
… hence it’s a bit of a lottery and I’m not as bullish as others that Issac already has 16 or so votes… at this stage , I’d be happy with at least the 12 that the Predictor has come up with.

Don’t worry. The blonde mop of hair carving up the midfield is very noticeable to umpires. He’s also a fair player - umps would love him I reckon.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

The most browblow votes he's polled in a season was 8. To have eclipsed his previous best in the first 5 rounds of the season is phenomenal.

 

[bedford]

The most browblow votes he's polled in a season was 8. To have eclipsed his previous best in the first 5 rounds of the season is phenomenal.

But he hasn't

 

[Tommy221987]

I think the plus with Heeney is if the opposition decide to go with a hard tag he can drag them in to the forward line for a patch, and good luck at trying to stop him there with a tag.

 

[BloodySwan]

But he hasn't

*that we know of

 

[Millky95]

I think the plus with Heeney is if the opposition decide to go with a hard tag he can drag them in to the forward line for a patch, and good luck at trying to stop him there with a tag.

You'd tag him like 2017-2020 Martin. Tagger when in the mids and a decent medium forward on him when he goes forward. Not everyone could tag like Hewett all over the ground

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

You'd tag him like 2017-2020 Martin. Tagger when in the mids and a decent medium forward on him when he goes forward. Not everyone could tag like Hewett all over the ground

Do your best tagging him, as much as you will. If Heeney doesn’t get you, then Errol sure as hell will.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Longmire talked quite a bit earlier in the season about Heeney and his injury challenges. My take from it was that he is a player where injuries (and he has had some really awkward ones - like his ankle challenges) really take a toll on his ability to perform near his best. They needn't be 'massive' injuries as such. But some players are great at playing through niggles and playing with injuries, while other players just can't produce anywhere near their best, even if they are only carrying fairly minor injuries/complaints. From what Longmire said - it sounds like Heeney probably sits closer to that second category than the first.

Gosh I hope he has a full season without injuries this year - as its been spectacular so far, and you feel like he is only just getting going and will get better.

Longmire has spoken in glowing terms about Heeneys ability to play through the pain barrrier.