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Isaac Heeney
Heeney in August 2026
Personal information
Full name Isaac Heeney
Nickname Heens
Born (1996-05-05) 5 May 1996 (age 30)
Maitland, New South Wales[1]
Original team Cardiff Hawks (BDAFL)/Sydney Swans (NEAFL)
Draft No. 18, 2014 national draft
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 88 kg (194 lb)
Position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Sydney
Number 5
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015– Sydney 244 (330)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 23, 2026.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Isaac Heeney (born 5 May 1996) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Heeney was born in Maitland, New South Wales, to mother Rochelle and father Adam.[2][3] He grew up in the Hunter Region. He received primary level education at Black Hill Public School in Black Hill. He then attended All Saints College. He began playing soccer at the age of 7[4] and managed to kick 68 goals in 12 games. Shortly after, he picked up a cricket bat and played an age level above his own. He had a batting average of 216.[5] He also travelled with his school to compete in a Sydney rugby league tournament and scored five tries in his team's grand final victory.[6][7]

Heeney played his junior football for the Cardiff Hawks in the Black Diamond Australian Football League. A highly rated junior player, he joined the Sydney Swans Academy at the age of 12 years.[8] He moved to Sydney for his draft year, completing his final year of school at Waverley College; he lived with a host family in South Coogee and played in the NEAFL for the Swans reserves team.[9]

Heeney later revealed he was the only student throughout his entire schooling that played Australian rules football and would have quit in favour of rugby league had the Swans Academy not existed.[10] He grew up supporting the Swans and idolised Ryan O'Keefe as a child.[11] Heeney is also an avid fan of the National Rugby League and supports the Sydney Roosters club.[12]

AFL career

Heeney was selected by the Swans in the 2014 AFL draft. His selection was controversial in that the Melbourne Football Club bid their first selection, number 2 overall, for Heeney but under drafting rules at the time, the Swans were able to match with their first selection, which was 18th overall.[13] As a result of this, and the similar round-based bidding process used for father–son rule selections, the draft criteria were changed to a points-based system to provide for a more equitable outcome.[14]

Heeney made his debut for Sydney at ANZ Stadium against Essendon in round 1 of the 2015 season.[15] He kicked his first AFL goal, which was also the match-winning goal and last in the match, late in the final quarter as the Swans came from 41 points down in the third quarter to win by 12 points.[16] Following a four-goal performance at the Sydney Cricket Ground in round 3, Heeney picked up an AFL Rising Star nomination as the Swans got off to an unbeaten start in the 2015 season.[17] After a promising start to his season, Heeney suffered a knee injury in round 6.[18][19] He returned to the team in round 17, kicking 2 goals and having an instant impact on the team.[20] Heeney played out the remainder of the season, including in the team's finals games. He was named as the Sydney Swans' rising star after kicking 16 goals and averaging 12.6 disposals.[21]

Heeney had a successful 2016 AFL season, playing every game except for rounds 16 and 17. Heeney set a new personal record for disposals in the opening round, collecting 23.[22] He had a breakout game in round 4, kicking four important goals and collecting 18 disposals[23] and being named as one of Sydney's best on ground.[24] He had one of the best games in his career in round 7, where he kicked a bag of 5, his highest goal tally to that point.[25] He received 3 Brownlow votes for his performance.[26] Heeney remained in the team throughout the first half of the season, posing a consistent threat up forward. In round 13, the Swans beat Melbourne, simultaneously helping to break the record for most tackles ever laid by a team in a single match. Of these 155 tackles, Heeney laid the second-most with 13. Despite this, he only gathered 6 possessions, followed by 4 in the following game. Subsequently, Heeney was rested between rounds 16 and 17, before returning to the team. In the 2016 finals series, Heeney was instrumental in both the semi-final (32 possessions, 1 goal) and preliminary final (28 possessions, 7 tackles). He played in the 2016 AFL Grand Final, which the Swans lost by 22 points to the Western Bulldogs.

Heeney suffered a season-ending injury in the Swans' 8-point loss to Richmond in the 6th round of the 2020 AFL season, after dislocating and rupturing his medial ligament in his right ankle.[27] He had surgery soon after which kept him confined to a moon boot for a few weeks after the completion of the surgery.[28] He also underwent stem cell treatment to help with the healing of his cartilage that had been removed during the operation.[29]

2024 season

After a strong start to the season, Heeney was considered a favourite for the Brownlow medal but was then controversially suspended. Some thought he may poll the most votes and be an ineligible winner, but he finished in equal fourth.[30]

Qualifying final mark

In GWS's 2024 qualifying final against Sydney, Heeney took what many to be considered Mark of the Year with a high-flying specky over Jack Buckley, although Heeney was ineligible for the award due to it being in a finals match, a fact that attracted criticism in the press.[31] In any case, Buckley received widespread respect and acclaim for his act of sportsmanship for holding Heeney's hand to ensure his fall was safe, as Heeney was otherwise falling head-first and could have suffered a severe injury had Buckley not intervened. Among the many that praised Buckley's quick thinking, Heeney's own mother public thanked Buckley on Facebook.[32] He also scored the second-last goal of the game, levelling the scores. This was a crucial moment which helped push the team to victory, with Joel Amartey scoring the match-winning goal. Heeney later said that the game was “as loud as [he’d] heard the SCG.” [33]

2026 season

Heeney's 2026 season has drawn praise for his versatility and has placed him in Brownlow Medal contention. After the Swans defeated the Gold Coast Suns at Gather Round in Adelaide, The Courier described Heeney as one of the AFL’s most complete players.[34]

On 19 August 2026, Heeney was one of five Sydney players suspended by the club for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season after an incident inside a hotel room in Melbourne.[35] A report of sexual assault was made by a woman who was in the hotel room, although it has not been suggested in media reports that any of the players are being accused of sexual assault.[36]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 22, 2026.[37]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2015Sydney5 1416101205717767441.10.78.64.112.64.83.12
2016Sydney5 242815218180398113921.20.69.17.516.64.73.85
2017Sydney5 201613250161411100950.80.712.58.120.65.04.84
2018Sydney5 221914248200448991110.90.611.39.120.44.55.07
2019Sydney5 222615237204441126851.20.710.89.320.05.73.96
2020[a]Sydney5 67753338629151.21.28.85.514.34.82.55
2021Sydney5 213621222111333119411.71.010.65.315.95.72.08
2022Sydney5 2549282511594101171182.01.110.06.416.44.74.77
2023Sydney5 233019214143357110991.30.89.36.215.54.84.32
2024Sydney5 2434203282746021081131.40.813.711.425.14.54.728
2025Sydney5 23372129824454287881.60.913.010.623.63.83.817
2026Sydney5 19291224426550960911.50.612.813.926.83.24.80
Career 24332719526832031471411359921.30.811.08.419.44.74.191

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

Team

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Maitland's Isaac Heeney delighted to play bigger role in Sydney Swans' midfield
  2. ↑ Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney's character forged in adversity by David Sygall for The Age 9 May 2015
  3. ↑ Isaac Heeney still doesn’t know what happened to him after Hong Kong assault, says dad by NEIL CORDY for the Herald Sun. 22 October 2015
  4. ↑ Parkinson, Andrew (22 March 2013). "Fledgling Swan Heeney takes first steps to AFL". The Maitland Mercury. Maitland, NSW. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  5. ↑ King, Travis (16 February 2015). "Isaac Heeney 'just wants to play footy' as draft debate rages". afl.com.au News. Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Backyard bruises gave hard edge to Heeney
  7. ↑ Isaac Heeney 'just wants to play footy' as draft debate rages
  8. ↑ Twomey, Callum (9 November 2014). "18 days to the draft: Meet Isaac Heeney". afl.com.au News. Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Heeney's new horizons". sydneyswans.com.au. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  10. ↑ AAP (22 April 2015). "Isaac Heeney feeling at home with Sydney Swans in AFL debut season". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Paolucci, Tanya (9 December 2014). "Five fits for Heeney". sydneyswans.com.au. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  12. ↑ "'When Buddy and I kicked nine' by Isaac Heeney". AthletesVoice. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "Father Son and Club Academy -- Selections Used at Bidding Meeting for Players for 2014 NAB AFL Draft". afl.com.au News. Australia. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "AFL Draft Value Index introduces points system for draft picks". ABC.net.au. Melbourne. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  15. ↑ Sygall, David (3 April 2015). "Sydney Swans rookie Isaac Heeney to debut against 'red-hot' Essendon Bombers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  16. ↑ Adaimy, Roje (4 April 2015). "Longmire applauds tough Bombers after win". The West Australian. Perth, WA. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  17. ↑ Pengilly, Adam (20 April 2015). "Sydney Swans rookie Isaac Heeney set to cross off another state after Rising Star nomination". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  18. ↑ Cordy, Neil (10 May 2015). "Young Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney sidelined for up to six weeks with knee injury". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  19. ↑ Nicholson, Larissa (9 May 2015). "Sydney young gun Isaac Heeney to miss up to six weeks". Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  20. ↑ "West Coast vs Sydney - Player Stats". AFLTables. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  21. ↑ "Heeney wins Rising Star". Sydney Swans Media. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  22. ↑ "Sydney vs Collingwood - Player Stats". AFLTables. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  23. ↑ "Adelaide vs Sydney - Player Stats". AFLTables. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  24. ↑ Morgan, Kym (16 April 2016). "Match report: Crows defeat Swans in Saturday night classic". AFL Media. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  25. ↑ Curley, Adam (7 May 2016). "Match report: Buddy, Heeney turn it on as Swans dismantle Bombers". AFL Media. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  26. ↑ "2016 Brownlow Medal - Round by Round". AFLTables. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  27. ↑ "AFL 2020: Isaac Heeney suffers season-ending injury". Herald Sun. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  28. ↑ Waterworth, Ben (24 July 2020). "Swans star Isaac Heeney posts post-surgery video after nasty ankle injury". Fox Sports. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  29. ↑ Twomey, Callum (1 February 2021). "Heeney in race for R1 after 'pain in the arse' surgery ... literally". AFL Media. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  30. ↑ "Blue blitz! Carlton superstar Patrick Cripps shatters all-time vote record in avalanche Brownlow Medal win". Fox Sports. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  31. ↑ "'100 per cent intensity': Swans coach reveals skipper's strict deadline to prove GF fitness". Fox Sports. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  32. ↑ "Why Heeney's mum wants to hug a Giants defender". PerthNow. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  33. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  34. ↑ "'Leads from the front': Is Isaac Heeney the AFL's best in 2026?".
  35. ↑ "Sydney Swans ban Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon for remainder of 2026 season". ABC News. 19 August 2026. Archived from the original on 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  36. ↑ Koster, Alexandra (19 August 2026). "Sydney Swans stand by culture as club details reasons behind player sanctions". SBS News. Archived from the original on 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "Isaac Heeney". AFL Tables. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
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