Heeney, Mills expected to step up for Sydney Swans in season 2017
IT may be the middle of the pre-season but Sydney’s Isaac Heeney already has a body honed for midfield domination next year.
IT may be the middle of the pre-season but Sydney’s Isaac Heeney already has a body honed for midfield domination next year.
Heeney, 20, and Callum Mills are likely to spend more time in the midfield next season to cover the departure of Tom Mitchell to Hawthorn, Swans coach John Longmire said.
Mitchell, who played every game last season and averaged almost 28 touches, was an important player for the Swans but Longmire is confident they can fill the vacancy well.
“We knew we’ve got Heeney coming through and Mills coming through and kids like Jordan Foote all pushing for midfield spots and playing through that area of the ground,” the coach said yesterday, the first day of pre-season for most of his senior players.
“We’re really confident that we’ve got the players to be able to come in to that role and keep evolving our list like we did last year.
“We had seven debutants last year and I’m sure there will be a number of new players this year.”
Heeney and 2016 Rising Star winner Mills both came to the club as midfielders and flourished in other roles while waiting for a chance to break into Sydney’s deep on-ball rotation.
Mills excelled in an unfamiliar role across half- back, while fellow academy product Heeney played primarily up forward for most of his first two seasons.
“Heeney, in particular, playing a bit more midfield, certainly in the back end of the year,” Longmire said.
“Mills was part need, part teaching last year playing at half-back and just took to it unbelievably well.
“We know Isaac can play midfield-forward and we certainly know Millsy can play midfield-back, so those roles and that flexibility in our team we think is going to be really important.”
While all the Swans are running, midfielder Luke Parker (knee), star forward Lance Franklin and ruckman Toby Naismith (both shoulder) are yet to join the main training group.
Longmire lauded midfield star Dan Hannebery, who hurt his knee late in the grand final but won yesterday’s 3km time trial.
“He would have not run for a month and you look at his performance and he was fantastic,” Longmire said.
Originally published as Heeney, Mills expected to step up for Sydney Swans in season 2017