AFL 2021: Justin McInerney overshadows Sydney’s Academy stars as Isaac Heeney suffers another injury blow in thrilling win

The Bombers lost and the Swans kids were great but it’s hard not to get excited about Essendon’s athletic freak Nik Cox. Here’s why.

Marc McGowan

8 min read

April 10, 2021 - 11:12AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

A deflated Isaac Heeney leaves the field in the hands of a Swans trainer. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

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A week dominated by heated debate about the advantages of Sydney’s Academy production line ended with a Victorian No.44 draft pick being the Swans’ saviour.

Northern Knights graduate Justin McInerney on Thursday night became the face of list boss Kinnear Beatson’s forgotten success stories.

Sydney kicked only two goals, from eight scoring shots, in a tense final quarter to edge out Essendon by three points – but McInerney was directly involved in both.

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Justin McInerney was vital in the last quarter against the Bombers. Picture: Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos

The 20-year-old, playing just his 13th match, firstly snapped a magnificent goal after a free kick to drag the Swans level with the Bombers again.

With the game still up for grabs into time-on, McInerney put on the afterburners to buy himself a metre, then drove the Sherrin inside 50 for Lance Franklin to kick what proved the match-winner.

The zippy winger also wore a heavy hit from Kyle Langford to haul in a mark late in the second term, before kicking the first of his two goals, to go with 14 composed disposals.

It’s impossible to miss Sydney’s Academy stars: Mills, Heeney, Blakey, Campbell, Gulden. Even Sam Wicks has become an important contributor, and James Bell is doing his bit.

No one can argue it hasn’t given the Swans a leg up – four of the above are top-10 picks – and the token Next Generation academies don’t come close to replicating the talent in the northern equivalents.

Young Swans Errol Gulden, Justin McInerney, Sam Wicks, Logan McDonald, Chad Warner, James Rowbottom and Braeden Campbell. Picture: Phil Hillyard/AFL

However, too often ignored is just how well Beatson and co. sniff out a draft gem readily available to every other AFL club.

McInerney took centre stage against the Bombers, but look no further than James Rowbottom (pick 25), George Hewett (32), Tom McCartin (33) and Round 3 Rising Star nominee Chad Warner (39) for other recent examples.

First-round choices Ollie Florent, Dylan Stephens and Logan McDonald also look quality picks, although the jury is out on Matt Ling after the injury-ravaged opening to his career.

Beyond them, Jake Lloyd, Tom Papley, Dane Rampe, Harry Cunningham, Sam Naismith (Academy), Robbie Fox and Ben Ronke are all rookie selections.

Sydney’s willingness to recycle talent is also paying off with journeyman ruckman Tom Hickey, who’s been excellent at his fourth club.

None of this necessarily overshadows the Academy debate, but you’re not telling the full story without this context.

Bombers draftee Nik Cox was very impressive on Thursday night, too. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

SEE THIS BOMBER FLY UP, UP....

Essendon had little option but to invest in the future after all of Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia wanted out at season’s end last year.

What the Bombers did was make sure they gained maximum return for each, even managing to maneuver a top-10 free agency compensation pick out of Daniher.

Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro subsequently called out Nik Cox, Archie Perkins and Zach Reid with consecutive single-digit selections.

Perkins has shown some nice glimpses and we haven’t seen Reid yet, but it’s hard not to get excited about the 200cm athletic freak that is Cox.

The 19-year-old’s incredible effort to gather the loose Sherrin with one hand, steady, burst inside 50 and drill a wonderful goal on the run from about 40m had to be seen to be believed.

SEE FOR YOURSELF IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

Cox is still rake thin and should only get better, but Dodoro and Rob Forster-Knight would already be giddy with the early signs.

He’s the man to beat for this round’s Rising Star nomination after an eye-catching 18-possession display that follows three previous impressive showings.

PLAYING THEIR PART

Cale Hooker and Jake Stringer are starring in attack for an Essendon team brimming with youth and that has, perhaps, only one eye on this season.

They’ve kicked a combined 15 goals across the past two weeks to ensure two very good performances haven’t gone unrewarded.

The Bombers could quite reasonably be 3-1 instead of 1-3 through four rounds and, so far, given it’s ground zero for the latest rebuild, even the toughest fan must be pretty chuffed.

Where they go from here will be vitally important, after such a well-documented drought since their last finals win in 2004.

But it feels different this time around, and it’s not just new coach Ben Rutten. There is more trust in the kids and less plugging of holes and delusions of grandeur.

That said, Hooker, Stringer and the other ‘oldies’ still have roles to play to frank the good things these talented teenagers do at the start of this journey.

Cale Hooker has starred in attack in the opening three rounds. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Luckless Swan’s blow sours tight win over Bombers

Star Sydney forward Isaac Heeney could miss the next month after breaking his right hand in Thursday night’s narrow win over Essendon at the SCG.

Swans coach John Longmire delivered that sobering news after watching his side squeak past the Bombers, 11.17 (83) to 12.8 (80), to remain unbeaten through four rounds.

“It’s just terrible luck for him. He’s one of our best preparers; he trains so hard, he’s worked so hard to come back from his ankle (injury) and he’s got a crack in his hand,” Longmire said post-match.

“(He’ll miss) three, four weeks, I guess, depending on what happens … I’m not sure on what the official diagnosis is, but what Isaac is, is a really positive person.

Isaac Heeney of the Swans leaves the ground after suffering a hand injury. Picture: Getty Images

“He’ll get over that disappointment tonight and get to work and get himself right, but he’s been in great form for us this year and he’s a really important forward threat.”

Heeney had the first shot at goal for the night and exited the game for good in the second term with nine disposals, six marks and two behinds.

He was spotted with a large bag of ice on his injured hand on the boundary line soon after.

The 24-year-old played only six games last season because of a serious ankle injury that required multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

Heeney’s been a big part of Sydney’s unbeaten start, kicking eight goals in the first three rounds.

James Bell replaced him as the medical sub, a week after being unused in the same role.

In better news, superstar spearhead Lance Franklin enjoyed a successful second game this season after being rested last week.

Franklin moved well and his third goal of the night, after juggling a contested mark, proved the match-winner. It was also the 950th of his career.

Lance Franklin and Nick Blakey celebrate the win post-game. Picture: Getty Images

The Swans spent the summer rebuilding the 34-year-old’s body and have repeatedly stated his strengthening program will be prioritised over him playing every week.

“It’s not an exact science, this stuff,” Longmire said.

“You go with a lot of science behind it and what you need to do, then there’s a bit of gut feel (involved) and our medical and conditioning guys have been good with that, and Lance has been good.

“He’s done a lot of work, but it’s ongoing now. We’ve got a few days before next week’s game, which is obviously a good thing.”

Longmire also said midfielder James Rowbottom (knee) was “a real chance” to return for next week’s Sydney derby against the Giants after sitting out the past three games.

Meanwhile, Swan Nick Blakey could come under scrutiny from match review officer Michael Christian for a first-half bump on Zach Merrett.

Merrett received a free kick from the incident, where the Swan crashed into him right after he launched from the ground to punch the Sherrin on.

Blakey’s saving grace for any potential rough conduct charge was the contact on Merrett wasn’t high – and he was able to take his kick – but he could receive a fine.

CRUEL FINALE AS BUDDY BREAKS DONS HEARTS AGAIN

A perfect start to the season, big crowd on a Thursday night and Buddy back in the forward 50 after a week off was always going to generate some excitement at the SCG.

When the superstar forward clunked a contested mark with less than three minutes to go and kicked his third of the night and the 950th of his career, a roar reverberated around the ground.

Those cheers would turn to jitters for the final 90 seconds when Cale Hooker responded with his third to cut the margin back to two points, but Sydney and its bevy of young guns would hold on by a margin of three points to go to the top of the AFL ladder.

Lance Franklin kicked three goals in the Swans’ three-pooint win against Essendon. Picture: Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

It was a cruel finale for a Bombers side who lost no admirers on the evening and continued to show strong signs of improvement for their success starved fans.

A non-call of holding the ball on Swans ruckman Tom Hickey in the dying stages only added to their frustrations in a contest that provided them far more positives than negatives.

ROBBO: YOUNG BOMBERS QUICKLY EARNING RESPECT OF RIVALS

“Proud of the group is certainly the way I’m feeling, we’re certainly disappointed and the players are shattered about the result. Off a short break, it’s character-building for the group but disappointed on the result,” Bombers coach Ben Rutten said.

Sydney went to half-time with a five-point lead after trailing by 25 points almost nine minutes into the second quarter.

It’s a hammer blow for the Swans after the dynamic 24 year old was restricted to just six games last year following ankle surgery.

It was an enthralling, seesawing contest where the margin failed to extend over 10 points from late in the second quarter.

Before that the Bombers managed to jump the Swans and silence the SCG momentarily, mainly due to Jake Stringer’s influence in the forward 50 early and Zac Merrett’s class in the midfield.

Jake Stringer was strong for the Bombers. Picture: Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

But the Swans response before half-time was rapid with Callum Mills and Chad Warner starring while Errol Gulden showed remarkable composure in just his fourth game to spark Sydney when they were down.

His raking pass for an open Franklin to goal late in the second term put an exclamation mark on a Swans comeback after they hit the front having trailed by 25 points earlier on in the quarter.

HANDY HIND

Nick Hind’s claims as one of the recruits of the season were only strengthened in this one as he sacrificed some of his usual dash off half back early for a lockdown job on the dangerous Tom Papley, which he executed with aplomb before hurting the Swans the other way in the second half.

Papley finished the game with just one goal and 12 disposals.

DEAD-EYE DARCY

Darcy Parish’s kicking has been questioned by some of the Bombers faithful but in line with his improved form early in the season, he drilled a goal of the round contender from tight on the boundary line in the second quarter to put the Dons 25 points up.

It was struck perfectly with a bit of left to right fade that would have looked very tidy off the tee at Augusta this weekend.