Isaac Heeney

Isaac Heeney (born 5 May 1996) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing with the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League.

Heeney grew up in the Hunter Region of New South Wales and attended All Saints College before completing his education at Waverley College in Sydney while playing for the Swans Academy. He began playing soccer at the age of 7 and managed to kick 68 goals in 12 games. Shortly after he picked up a cricket bat and played an age level above his own. He had a batting average of 216. He also travelled with his school to compete in a Sydney rugby league tournament and scored 5 tries in his team's grand final victory.

Heeney played his junior football for the Cardiff Hawks in the Black Diamond Australian Football League. A highly rated junior player, he joined the Sydney Swans' academy at the age of 12 years and was selected by the Swans in the 2014 AFL draft. His selection was controversial in that the Melbourne Football Club bid their first selection, number 2 overall, for Heeney but under drafting rules at the time, the Swans were able to match with their first selection, which was 18th overall. As a result of this, and the similar round based bidding process used for father–son rule selections, the draft criteria was changed to a points based system to provide for a more equitable outcome.

Heeney later revealed he was the only student throughout his entire schooling that played Australian rules football and would have quit in favour of rugby league had the Swans' academy not existed. He grew up supporting the Swans and idolised Ryan O'Keefe as a child.

Heeney made his debut for Sydney at ANZ Stadium against Essendon in Round 1 of the 2015 season. He kicked his first AFL goal, which was also the match-winning goal and last in the match, late in the final quarter as the Swans came from 41 points down in the third quarter to win by 12 points. Following a 4-goal performance at the Sydney Cricket Ground in round 3, Heeney picked up an AFL Rising Star nomination as the Swans got off to an unbeaten start in the 2015 season.

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2016 season