ABOUT a month ago, Isaac Heeney officially joined the Sydney Swans as an academy player. It had been a long time in the making.
Heeney joined the Sydney Swans academy as a 12-year-old in Newcastle, where he grew up around soccer and rugby league clubs.
Recognisinghim as a future talent, at the end of last year the Swans relocatedHeeney closer to the club in Sydney, where he spent this season with ahost family.
As debate raged through the yearabout the academy system and the priority access afforded to thenorthern-based clubs, Heeney simply went about his business to producean excellent season.
The midfielder wasawarded the Harrison Medal as the best player in division two of the NABAFL Under-18 Championships, and continued in the same vein of form forthe Sydney Swans' NEAFL side.
Heeneymissed the NAB AFL Draft Combine with minor knee tendinitis, but dayslater joined the Swans as an academy player after they matched afirst-round bid for him.
Canhe get the ball? Yep, he averaged 27 disposals in the TAC Cup with theRams. Does he win it? Yep, nearly 60 per cent of those were contested.
Can he mark it? He's tough and strong in the air and has an impressive leap.
What'shis attitude like? As one recruiter put it, "he's a ripper", a playerwho likes the rough and tumble of a midfield role. When he doesn't havethe ball he's doing everything to get it, averaging eight tackles acrossfour TAC Cup games. It's a competitive instinct hard to find.
Willhe handle the step up? Well, he already has. In six games for theSwans' reserves side, Heeney averaged 18 disposals against seniorcompany.
Heeney is elite around the contest –smart, physical, aggressive but astute – and he combines that with greatrunning, spread and effectiveness. It's a good package.
Ayear ago, if there was anything to pick out it might have been Heeney'skicking. There was no real problem there, but Heeney recognised it asan area he could sharpen so went away and improved it.
There'svery little to be concerned about with the 18-year-old, who at 185cmand 82kg fits the mould of the best modern midfielders.
Althoughhe runs a 2.95-second 20-metre sprint, Heeney doesn't have the absolutebreakaway speed that makes Greater Western Sydney's Adam Treloar such adamaging player.
Heeney does, however, carrysome similarities to the emerging Giants star, particularly in the wayhe plays as both an inside and outside midfielder who wins his owntouches and can then bolt off.
Pick 18. He's locked in at the Swans.
Melbourne,who placed a bid on Heeney with its No.2 pick, did so for a reason.He's a standout, and a player every club would love to have on theirlist. Fortunately for the Swans, he's theirs. Expect him to have animmediate impact next year, even in the Swans' formidable line-up.
