A Stellar Return for Isaac Heeney
Isaac Heeney made a powerful return to the field, showcasing his dominance in the Swans’ impressive victory over the West Coast Eagles. The match ended with a score of 24.19 (163) to 4.11 (35), and Heeney played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Just hours after Maurice Rioli made a strong case for the mark of the year award, Heeney delivered an equally stunning performance that placed him as another contender for the accolade. The Swans midfielder had been sidelined since round one due to a hamstring injury, but he wasted no time proving his worth on the field.
Heeney’s display was particularly notable when he took on young Eagles star Harley Reid. Using the back of Reid, Heeney launched himself into the air, leaving commentators in awe of the move. The 29-year-old showed a confident smile as he dragged the ball to the ground, with his foot locked between Reid’s arms.
“He knew he was done in flight, Reid,” said Richmond great Jack Riewoldt on Fox Footy. “He knew, ‘I really don’t want to do this, he is going to sit on my head’.”
Heeney did not slow down after that moment, recording 18 disposals and two goals by half-time. By the end of the third term, he had four goals from 23 touches. His performance earned praise from commentators, with Riewoldt stating, “He has been the best player on the field so far.” David King added, “He is about three classes above anyone else on the field right now.”
While Heeney continued to receive elevated praise for the remainder of the match, Reid found himself at the opposite end of the commentary. The 20-year-old struggled to make an impact, with several moments of criticism from game greats. This included giving away a 50m penalty and a free kick to the Swans.
Late in the match, Reid’s tempers boiled over as he became entangled in a heated exchange with Angus Sheldrick, who had elbowed a West Coast teammate in the head. King initially criticized Reid, saying, “At some stage the coach has to remove the player from the ground” and that “there has to be a punishment.” However, he changed his tone after a replay of the incident was shown on Fox Footy.
“This is not good from Sheldrick,” he said. “I love Harley Reid, I think he’s going to be an outstanding player and I love the desire and the want to be aggressive and confrontational. Clearly there was a bit more to that than what we captured there. You’ve still got to have emotional control. I think it is a challenge for him at this stage of his career. You have got to be better.”
Despite the criticism, Reid managed to record 17 disposals for the match. However, he only secured one mark and made zero tackles during that time.
Swans coach Dean Cox decided to rest Heeney in the final stages of the fourth quarter, ending the game with four goals and 26 disposals. New recruit Charlie Curnow also made an impact, scoring four goals.
The Swans will host the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday, April 11.
