Talking Footy

AFL draft prospect Isaac Heeney reaping the rewards of training in the Sydney Swans academy
SAM LANDSBERGER
HERALD SUN
JULY 01, 2014 8:00PM
Newcastle product Isaac Heeney is set to be drafted by Sydney. Picture: Andrew Brownbill
THE young star at the centre of the exclusive-access talent pathway storm says he would probably have abandoned his AFL dream if not for an invite to the Sydney Swans academy when he was 12. Collingwood president Eddie McGuire last week led the charge to have the draft rules attached to the academies afforded to the NSW and Queensland clubs overhauled as the AFL confirmed a review was taking place. McGuire’s demands sparked a war of words with Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham and former Giants coach Kevin Sheedy and recruiting experts are now expecting a rule change. Isaac Heeney, rated the most gifted midfielder in this year’s pool, said the Sydney academy he joined when he was 12 had ignited his rise up the draft charts ahead of his certain selection by the Swans in November. Asked if he would be on track for an AFL career if not for the academy, Heeney yesterday said: “Nah, definitely not”. “It’s been a massive, massive influence. If I wasn’t in the academy I’d be training in Newcastle and obviously the coaching staff and the facilities there … well, I’d be nowhere near where I am now. “I might be (playing for NSW), but then again if there wasn’t that involvement I probably wouldn’t have even tried.” The 186cm Newcastle product played league until he was eight and will tonight lead NSW/ACT against Queensland at Etihad Stadium along with Callum Mills, who is expected to join Sydney in next year’s Like the father-son system, academy graduates can join clubs with their first live pick after a rival team bids. It means the Swans are on track to snare top-five talent Heeney at No. 16 and will land Mills as a similar steal next year. A recruiting expert yesterday said he had no dramas with the Swans snaring Heeney, but expected McGuire to win the league crackdown he put on the agenda. “They deserve him. They’ve put six years of development in, helped him with schooling and his life and he’s the best midfielder in the draft,” the recruiter said. “But after they get Mills next year AFL clubs are going to be up in arms.” Heeney, a hard-running midfielder who models his game on Sydney star Josh Kennedy, has been mentored by premiership Swan Tadgh Kennelly through the academy. “I started playing footy when I was eight and started making rep teams, but obviously the quality isn’t too good,” he said. “I must have stood out a bit and the Swannies got me in the academy from the age of 12 and then I played for NSW teams at under-12s, under-15s and then AIS under-16s. “Dad was a massive league player and really good and mum was athletics and swimming but dad didn’t want us playing league at a young age, so we tried something different and went across with some friends.” On the struggle of the code in league heartland, Heeney said: “We had no background of AFL, so we came into it and started following the Swans because they were local and maybe saw a game a year”.

King-Eliagh wrote:

Yes, the old "dont want the children to play league at a young age" so put em in marngrook argument sure is testament to the toughness of RL, the courage and bravery it takes compared to the other codes.

Drac wrote:

King-Eliagh wrote:

Yes, the old "dont want the children to play league at a young age" so put em in marngrook argument sure is testament to the toughness of RL, the courage and bravery it takes compared to the other codes.

Given we as a society are moving further and further away from being 'tough' i'd suggest the mantle of toughest sport will slowly prove a noose around the neck of rugby league when it comes to junior participation. I don't see the trend swinging back the ohter way any time soon, and football, basketball and soccer will be the beneficiaries.

If being considered 'soft' increases the number of juniors taking up the sport, we're happy to wear that badge.

sydneyfc wrote:

Drac wrote:

King-Eliagh wrote:

Yes, the old "dont want the children to play league at a young age" so put em in marngrook argument sure is testament to the toughness of RL, the courage and bravery it takes compared to the other codes.

Given we as a society are moving further and further away from being 'tough' i'd suggest the mantle of toughest sport will slowly prove a noose around the neck of rugby league when it comes to junior participation. I don't see the trend swinging back the ohter way any time soon, and football, basketball and soccer will be the beneficiaries.

If being considered 'soft' increases the number of juniors taking up the sport, we're happy to wear that badge.

pretty much exactly what i was thinking

take this tough tag all you want, 20 years from now no one will be playing your sport because of it

i guess people like dave can go back to wrestling in his bedroom

Drac wrote:

King-Eliagh wrote:

Yes, the old "dont want the children to play league at a young age" so put em in marngrook argument sure is testament to the toughness of RL, the courage and bravery it takes compared to the other codes.

Given we as a society are moving further and further away from being 'tough' i'd suggest the mantle of toughest sport will slowly prove a noose around the neck of rugby league when it comes to junior participation. I don't see the trend swinging back the ohter way any time soon, and football, basketball and soccer will be the beneficiaries.

If being considered 'soft' increases the number of juniors taking up the sport, we're happy to wear that badge.

Swans4ever wrote:

Personally I think all sports have their elements of toughness - whether it be tennis in 35 degree heat in a grand slam going 5 sets, cricket facing a quick to make a ton, basketball standing ur ground etc etc all sports require toughness but brutality is really the domain of RL and RU. They can have it!

AFLcrap1 wrote:

So he left at 8.
LOL.
Probably tackled once & decided it was too tough.
Time for the SOFT option...Fumbleball.

cos789 wrote:

If that is the case then expect a flood of juniors leaving rl.