Meet Isaac Heeney

[ScottH]

18 days to the draft: Meet Isaac Heeney - AFL.com.au

[liz]

Sounds like a good sort - wonder if we have some chance of snaring him?!!

[jono2707]

Sounds like a good sort - wonder if we have some chance of snaring him?!!

I'd say we're in with a good chance - as long as we manage to hide him away from more deserving teams such as Collingwood.....

[707]

That's the great thing about the Academy program, we get to hide away talent from the prying eyes of the VFL clubs.

Justr another of Eddie's stupid statements for which no one picks him up. And to think he has sway at HQ! :-(

[Auntie.Gerald]

good on him plugging what he thought was important for the general public to hear

exciting young player who was kicking well above average on his non preferred foot also setting up play

[S.S. Bleeder]

That's the great thing about the Academy program, we get to hide away talent from the prying eyes of the VFL clubs.

Justr another of Eddie's stupid statements for which no one picks him up. And to think he has sway at HQ! :-(

The only one's we get to hide away from the VFL clubs are the duds. Every AFL club is fully aware of the guns in any of the academies.

[wolftone57]

Heeney is a very unusual and top end talent. When I say unusual I mean he comes with inbuilt mongrel. In that way he is similar to Jones. He is tough, hard at it, highly skilled and a true athlete. I think Lukie might just have found a Surfing partner. Surfing is the most popular sport in Newcastle. I am impressed with Isaac's endurance running. He just keeps going all day and for opposition it is very difficult to combat. Like the young ROK, who ran opposition players off their feet, Isaac will do the same. It will come down to opposition coaches playing several players on him in a quarter, it already has at other levels, RAMS etc.

[mcs]

Heeney is a very unusual and top end talent. When I say unusual I mean he comes with inbuilt mongrel. In that way he is similar to Jones. He is tough, hard at it, highly skilled and a true athlete. I think Lukie might just have found a Surfing partner. Surfing is the most popular sport in Newcastle. I am impressed with Isaac's endurance running. He just keeps going all day and for opposition it is very difficult to combat. Like the young ROK, who ran opposition players off their feet, Isaac will do the same. It will come down to opposition coaches playing several players on him in a quarter, it already has at other levels, RAMS etc.

If they take anything from this years Grand Final, then surely it is our desperate need for some proper mongrel in our team. So when the Wees and poos try and intimidate us next time around, we have some people willing to give it back to them. Despite all the other aspects of the grand final, it was the complete mongrel intent of the Hawks that set the tone. They never gave us a minute to settle into our 'gameplan' (If we actually had one!) and they did this by stirring it up. And like the timid one in the playground, we took the bullying without a whimper in reply.

[liz]

2014 AFL draft a level playing field for recruiters

Here is Quayle's ranking of her top 30 prospects for this year's draft, and she's plonked Heeney right at the top. Who knows whether he is a better prospect than the rest, but with her it's not trying to overhype him as a stab at the academy. She's been a big supporter of the concept and has frequently pointed out that it's largely because of the academy that he's developed as he has.

[707]

Thanks Liz, could probably have done without the No.1 ranking, will give Eddie more ammo :-(

Interesting that Emma rates Abe Davis just outside her top 30, fingers doubly crossed that we have snared a KPD there.

The eveness of the draft means there should still be a potentially good player available at our lone pick 39.

[Auntie.Gerald]

From memory we picked up Heath Grundy as a Rookie ? but watching Abe i dont see Abe much different to Heath at the same age ?.........I think Abe may hold a similar role to reg in years to come.

Back to Heeney though.........it is arguable in my opinion on who will be better between Callum Mills and Isaac.........both brilliant young talent and genuine top 10 midfielders in their respective drafts you would guess given that Callum Mills a year younger has matched Isaac in some games this year ..................

but all that matters is that both players get to the Swans and we are very fortunate if that occurs

[Conor_Dillon]

Heeney is pretty special but I think Mills could be another level again.

[jono2707]

If he's as good as projected, we must give him plenty of game time next year. Sounds like he'd be an ideal sub, or perhaps time in the forward line? We do have a pretty stacked midfield, inc Mitchell who should become a regular, although McVeigh might drop back to cover the loss of Mal...

[liz]

If he's as good as projected, we must give him plenty of game time next year. Sounds like he'd be an ideal sub, or perhaps time in the forward line? We do have a pretty stacked midfield, inc Mitchell who should become a regular, although McVeigh might drop back to cover the loss of Mal...

I think he could do very well in the forward line next year. He's a good size, he marks well, he kicks well enough, he can create for others, and he will provide the defensive tackling and chasing too. He could be a bit like Jude was a couple of years back. And he might be able to rotate through the middle for short stints too.

The problem comes in terms of fitting him into the best 22. He probably will be good enough to be "best 22" except that we might have another 22 (or more) ahead of him in the queue. If that makes any kind of sense...

[Ludwig]

I think he could do very well in the forward line next year. He's a good size, he marks well, he kicks well enough, he can create for others, and he will provide the defensive tackling and chasing too. He could be a bit like Jude was a couple of years back. And he might be able to rotate through the middle for short stints too.

The problem comes in terms of fitting him into the best 22. He probably will be good enough to be "best 22" except that we might have another 22 (or more) ahead of him in the queue. If that makes any kind of sense...

Yes. I know what you mean. And we shouldn't forget George Hewett, who often slips out of the midfield calculations. I believe he missed most of last year's preseason and still was one of our best reserves players. With a full preseason he could be right up there in contention with the likes of Heeney, Mitchell and Jones.