Isaac Heeney to miss 4-6 weeks with knee injury, Melbourne coach Paul Roos backs Jack Watts

SYDNEY young gun Isaac Heeney will miss 4-6 weeks after suffering a posterior cruciate injury in the 38-point win over Melbourne.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 09: Isaac Heeney of the Swans sits on the bench with an injured leg during the round six AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and the Sydney Swans at Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 9, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

SYDNEY young gun Isaac Heeney will miss at least a month of football after suffering a posterior cruciate injury in the club’s clinical 38-point win over Melbourne at the MCG.

Considered one of the leading contenders for the AFL Rising Star Award this season, Heeney left the field just before half-time clutching the back of his knee with initial fears that it might be a far more serious injury.

But Swans coach John Longmire expressed his relief last night, saying it appears as if the exciting 19-year-old might miss only between four and six weeks.

MATCH: Swans thump Demons

“He has a posterior cruciate, our doc thinks it is probably four to six (weeks),” Longmire said. “He hasn’t had a scan yet, (but) that’s the early diagnosis.”

Longmire was pleased with the Swans’ overall effort against the Demons, saying part of the plan was to come out of the blocks fast after what was a gruelling match against the Bulldogs last week.

“It was important (to start well); it was good that we had a couple of guys take some marks in the front half and I just thought our pressure and our leaders helped us get some momentum going our way (early),” he said.

“We take the win. We don’t underestimate how hard it is to win games. I thought our pressure was really good and we were able to cause some turnover goals, which was important to us.”

Adam Goodes started as the sub, but was brought into the action just before half-time when Heeney suffered his injury.

“He has played the last three weeks ... he was the sub today because we thought it was best for the balance of the team,” he said.

“He came out and played a half, and kicked a goal, so we pick the best team that will be right for next week (against Geelong).”

He said Dan Hannebery (ankle) and Jake Lloyd (ankle) finished the game and would be available to take on the Cats at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

Jack Watts walks off the ground after loss to Sydney. Picture: Getty

Meanwhile, Melbourne coach Paul Roos leapt to Jack Watts’ defence after assigning him the substitute’s role last night.

Roos said the decision was to try to assist the much-maligned Demon by easing the expectations to help him find form.

“Geez, the guy has been criticised for six years. He’s only human. If it was me, I would be in Hawaii by now,’’ Roos said.

“That’s why I hate the sub, it drives me mad. It’s the same reason it drives Stevie J mad, drives Adam Goodes mad and drives John Longmire mad, all of us. But the reality is you’re trying things and our job as coaches is to get players into form and playing the way we want to play and there’s different mechanisms to do that. It mightn’t have helped him, I don’t know.’’

Roos has no confidence problems with full-back Tom McDonald who shut down Lance Franklin this time, keeping the Coleman Medalist goalless on a night when Sydney had 61 inside 50 entries.

“That’s the good thing about Tommy, he’s a really quick learner, he’s an athlete, a competitor and he’s able to action the things we talk about during the week which allowed him to play well tonight and for six weeks,’’ he said.

“He plays the way we speak about during the week. He’s a very good athlete as well. Clearly, what we’re trying to do as a footy club is emulate the Freos, Hawthorn and Sydney and we play them in three weeks. It’s a great opportunity for us to try and compete and work out what they do really well.’’

Originally published as Isaac Heeney to miss 4-6 weeks with knee injury, Melbourne coach Paul Roos backs Jack Watts