He's the next face of AFL in Sydney, but Isaac Heeney says he isn't feeling the burden of expectation. Instead it's driving him to become the sort of player and role model the team and the code needs in foreign territory.
Whenever Lance Franklin retires, it'll probably be Heeney who replaces him on billboards and in the media as the club's most recognisable star. Performances like the one he put in on Saturday against Carlton are why.
Happy days: Isaac Heeney celebrates a crucial goal against Carlton.Credit:AAP
Still hampered by an ankle injury he suffered in pre-season, Heeney kicked four goals and gathered 26 possessions as Sydney notched their first victory of the season with a 19-point triumph over the Blues. They will look to back it up at home on Thursday night against winless Melbourne.
Coach John Longmire had thrown the gauntlet down to his young players during the week, demanding more from them. As the leader of that up-and-coming pack, Heeney knew they had to answer the call. According to some pundits, Sydney's finals hopes essentially hinge on the likes of Heeney and Callum Mills taking their careers to the next level.
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"We must step up if we're going to have a chance this year at all. That's exciting," Heeney told the Herald. "We've got some serious talent coming through who have put the work in and will support us in areas needed. It felt like we responded on the weekend – especially the young group."
But how does it feel to have your contributions questioned so publicly? "I try not to think about it too much," Heeney said. "When you're not having a good game, the media can jump on pretty hard.
"It's just getting the reassurance from Horse, our three captains – the confidence and the support from them to really push your case. They've done that really well, I believe. That's why we've had so many debutants come through in the last four or five years who have actually had an influence on games."
Heeney admits he was well below his usual output across the opening two rounds, but said the ankle problem he is carrying was not a valid reason why.
"It's been pretty sore the last couple of weeks. I got away with one in not doing the syndesmosis, just a slight tear of the deltoid instead," he said.
"It was super frustrating because I had a big pre-season, ready for a good start to the year … it was obviously lingering and affecting me to a point but I'm not going to use that as an excuse. We played poorly as a group in the first two weeks, myself included."
Heeney, 22, isRead More – Source
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