‘I just sort of leapt at it’: Heeney on the mark plucked from high in Sydney sky

Swans midfielder Isaac Heeney has revealed pure instinct was behind the freakish mark that helped inspire his side’s thrilling six-point qualifying victory over the Giants at the SCG on Saturday.

After starting the third quarter 21 points behind, Heeney produced a moment of athletic audacity in the first minute of the term, climbing high onto GWS defender Jack Buckley to extend his body into the sky and catch an up-and-under kick from his captain Callum Mills.

The mark helped spark the first tentative steps of the Swans’ fightback, with defender Dane Rampe and Heeney scoring successive goals after it.

“I haven’t really taken one all year, but it felt all right and I got up there, a little hanger,” Heeney said. “I’m thankful for [Jack] Buckley, he actually grabbed me and flipped me around ... [otherwise] I would’ve been put on my head, so I might send him a message later and say thank you.

Isaac Heeney takes a spectacular mark during the AFL Qualifying Final.Credit: AAPIMAGE

“I didn’t even expect to get up there, to be honest, I just sort of leapt at it. You just play off instinct and it got a nice little sit though which was good.”

Ineligible for the Brownlow Medal due to a one-match suspension for a striking charge, Heeney also cannot win the AFL’s mark of the year, given the competition is only open for grabs taken in the regular season.

Heeney worked relentlessly to drive a Swans side that was second best for most of the night. The Giants suffocated their city rivals with relentless pressure and ferocious tackling, reminding the 43,189 fans in attendance why they had previously boasted a perfect 3–0 finals record against the Swans.

Heeney’s courageous mark set the tone for a memorable individual performance that included 30 disposals and three goals as he dragged his team back into the contest.

After previously being predominantly used as a forward by coach John Longmire, Heeney’s move into the midfield has been one of the key catalysts for the Swans’ success this year, and he spoke of his desire to set an example for his teammates against the Giants.

“I pride myself on being just the ultimate competitor,” Heeney said. “I’ll put my head over it and be as hard as I can, as clean as I can, and punt as hard as I can.

“Sometimes it comes off, and it works, and I’ll back myself in a lot. ‘Horse’ [Longmire] has given me the licence my whole career, and especially this year, just to really just hunt the footy and do what I do and have fun while doing it – and when it comes off, it’s nice.”

A consistent theme of the Swans’ season has been their slow starts, and in the first half they were down by as many as 28 points. Heeney believes the Swans’ ability to fight back from the most difficult of circumstances has set the competition on notice.

Isaac Heeney’s incredible mark at the SCGCredit: Benjamin Cuevas/Sydney Swans

“I believe there’s a belief there that teams know we can chase them down,” Heeney said. “So we’ve got that ultimate belief in the group, we need to match it early if we can and we can finish the game strong.”

Heeney’s all-action performance included a broken nose as he got his third goal in the final quarter to level the score at 82-82.

The Newcastle-raised Swan, who excelled at rugby league as a young boy, hammered his final goal from outside the 50 after small forward Tom Papley provided some aerial brilliance of his own, beating the far taller Giants defender Connor Idun in a contest to perfectly set up Heeney’s finish.

Ultimately, the Swans could not be stopped and key forward Joel Amartey sealed the victory with a goal in the dying minutes of the game.

Heeney has been outstanding this season as part of the Swans’ newly vaunted All-Australian midfield trio that includes Chad Warner and Errol Gulden.

Gulden and Warner both put together a strong final quarter, leading their side in disposals with 11 and 13 respectively.

In the Swans changing room after the game, Warner paid tribute to Heeney’s standout performance that helped book his side into a Friday night preliminary final on September 20 at the SCG against either Port Adelaide or Hawthorn.

“I don’t even know where the hell he’s from,” Warner said “He’s just an absolute animal isn’t he? To kick three goals and have the impact that he did in the contest on that game, we’re so grateful to have him in our team.”