‘He was pretty special, wasn’t he?’ How Isaac Heeney saved the Swans’ season
By Jonathan Drennan
At the end of an agonising defeat that ultimately ended their season, Collingwood coach Craig McRae still managed to reserve his first words for the Swans’ Isaac Heeney and his memorable, game-winning performance in the fourth quarter.
“He was pretty special, wasn’t he?” McRae said. “He was amazing, I don’t think I’ve seen a player impact a game like that in a quarter. Unbelievable.”
For most of the game, Heeney and his teammates had been second-best to Collingwood. One minute into the final quarter, Jack Crisp’s major had extended the Magpies’ lead to 27 points, silencing the SCG crowd.
Having struggled for form in a run of games stretching back over a month, Heeney put together one of the ultimate fourth-quarter displays, masterminding an unlikely comeback that kept his team’s premiership hopes alive. Here’s how he did it.
Lifting his involvement for the final push
After dominating possession in the midfield throughout the first part of the season, Heeney has received extra attention from the opposition, which has significantly curbed his influence.
Against Collingwood, he finished the fourth quarter with 14 disposals – almost half of his 33 for the whole game, his highest of the season.
Heeney was moved between the forward line and the midfield as coach John Longmire frantically shifted his magnets late in the game. With the Swans’ season on the line, the strategy worked perfectly.
The Heeney-Warner double act reunites
Warner’s influence on the final quarter was also enormous, matching Heeney’s 14 disposals. Like Heeney, Warner had become a victim of his career-best form early in the season, and when he tailed off recently the Swans collectively joined him.
At their best, Warner and Heeney complement each other perfectly, possessing an almost telepathic ability to move the football.
Having scored a goal of his own in the fourth quarter with 12 minutes to go, Warner turned provider for Heeney’s crucial goal.
Seven minutes later, with the ball deep in Collingwood’s 50, Warner swung at the ball, centering it for Heeney who sprung up to beat Crisp one-on-one. Heeney scored his first major after three behinds and pulled his side within two points, setting the scene for the frenetic closing minutes.
Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner of the Swans celebrate against Collingwood.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The ultimate utility
After jogging back from his goal, Swans runner Brett Kirk appeared to tell Heeney to stay forward with five minutes on the clock, with veteran Luke Parker applying pressure in centre clearances.
After being shackled for most of the game by Steele Sidebottom, Errol Gulden kicked the most important goal of his career with four minutes left on the clock, giving the Swans a narrow four-point lead.
The Swans were forced to defend against a Collingwood side desperate to keep its season alive, and the defensive pressure of Heeney was crucial in this period.
With three minutes left, Jamie Elliot grabbed a behind and Nick Blakey was left pinned back on his goal line with limited options.
He picked out Heeney, who had come back from the forward line to win the ball. Heeney then took a crucial mark from Blakey’s kick to give Sydney vital possession deep in their own half with the game on a knife edge.
Courage under fire
Heeney had a willingness to take the game on, with and without the ball, in the last chaotic minutes of the quarter, with Collingwood exerting sustained offensive pressure.
With two minutes to go, Dane Rampe hacked the ball away desperately, deep in his own half. Forward Will Hayward managed to get a hand on the ball, but it was on the floor and perfectly placed for Collingwood to mop up.
Surrounded by three defenders, Heeney scooped up the ball. His easiest option was to kick blindly, but instead he decided to take on the opposition, brushing off Brayden Maynard with ease to handball cleanly into Warner’s arms.
With just over a minute left, Heeney again showed courage moving back to aid the defence, taking a huge mark under pressure from Pendlebury and copping an accidental fist in his neck for his trouble.
The final act
With just 28 seconds remaining, Blakey intercepts a loose ball, moving it to Parker who hacks the ball away. Joel Amartey, back from the forward line, slaps the ball to Hayward who briefly slips before kicking perfectly for the sprinting Heeney inside the centre of the field.
Heeney marks the ball perfectly with six seconds to go, and the game is over. In a single quarter of football, Heeney has not only played a major role in winning the game for the Swans, he has perhaps reignited their premiership hopes.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.