Isaac Heeney and James Aish were highly-rated youngsters but Heeney is leaving the Magpie in his wake
ISAAC Heeney and James Aish were highly-rated as juniors and while Heeney is on the way to becoming the next Paul Kelly, Aish is by statistical analysis the AFL’s worst midfielder.
Sydney
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AS SYDNEY was gleefully celebrating Isaac Heeney’s recruitment on draft night, he slipped away for a midnight gym session.
James Aish was so desperate to make his mark in February he demanded to play in a full VFL game just hours after a quiet NAB Challenge outing.
Both first-round picks possess real character and a desire to excel.
Yet while Heeney is on the way to becoming the next Paul Kelly, Collingwood’s Aish is by statistical analysis the AFL’s worst midfielder.
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This is the cold, hard truth of modern footy: it isn’t enough to be a good foot soldier winning outside ball any more.
You need tricks, or you need to win your own pill.
Raging bull Heeney has more tricks than David Copperfield.
Junior SANFL star Aish, who won just 24 per cent of his possessions in the contest in his under-18 year, looks bereft of a characteristic to make him stand out.
The Champion Date statistics are damning: Of the 112 midfielders to play four games this year, he ranks 112th.
Last for average SuperCoach points (45), third last for clearances (0.8 a game), second last for metres gained, fourth last for disposals (13 a game).
That comparison isn’t the only reason why Sydney is where it is on the ladder and Collingwood is besieged by questions about its 14th place, trading and junior development.
But the Swans keep churning out amazing kids while the Magpies are turning over their young players in a search for answers.
If you didn’t see Heeney tear apart Essendon on Saturday, search out the highlights of his five-goal performance.
A player of just 21 games’ experience hurls himself at the ball, combining the cleanest of hands with the spring of an Olympic high-jumper.
He has 6cm on 179cm club legend Kelly but, according to former Swans star Jude Bolton, until this year part of Heeney’s management group, the comparison is uncanny.
“I was inspired by (Kelly) as a kid and then got to play with him,’’ Bolton said yesterday.
“There are absolute similarities. Kel grew up in Wagga and had to choose between both sports (rugby league and Australian rules) and Isaac is from Cardiff (15km from Newcastle) and had the same choice).
“They both have the ability to impact the contest at pace. He is such a tough kid, but he is very humble like Kel.
“He has this vertical leap but also this confidence. Not many players want to step in front of Buddy (Franklin) and say, ‘I want to put my name on this ball’.
“He is such a deadly target inside 50, just like Kel.”
Heeney was taken at selection 18 by the Swans in 2014 after Melbourne bid the No.2 pick, a year after Aish went at No.7 to Brisbane Lions.
Just six months older than Heeney, Aish finished fourth in the Rising Star in his first year after playing 21 games and averaging 17.6 possessions.
Last year he had a contract impasse, repeated injuries and an eventual trade to Collingwood, which was a little surprised he picked it as his new home.
This year has been just as disappointing in a career of diminishing returns. Aish has had more than 14 possessions only once.
Every indicator is assessed by Champion Data as poor — his disposal rate, disposal efficiency and contested possession rate.
Champion Data says if a player wins less than 30 per cent contested footy as a junior, alarm bells now go off — Jimmy Toumpas won 22 per cent contested ball.
Bolton, a maniac when the Sherrin was in the vicinity, says it simply: “You have to win your own footy now. You can’t sit there in senior footy and expect it to be given to you.”
HE’S A GUN
Jude Bolton likens Isaac Heeney to Swans great Paul Kelly, but his numbers also stack up well against a more recent Brownlow medallist
Note: After 21 games
Source: Champion Data
Originally published as Isaac Heeney and James Aish were highly-rated youngsters but Heeney is leaving the Magpie in his wake
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