Isaac Heeney is ready to fill the leadership void in the Sydney Swans' attacking line as he prepares for a more hybrid role in 2024.
Following the retirement of Lance Franklin, Heaney became Swansea's second most experienced striker behind the returning Sam Reid.
With the deadline to reach 200 games this year, Heeney is determined to lead from the front as the Swans look to go deeper in September.
“It was different from what we had missed [Buddy]“We miss having him,” Heaney said. “He's in a new chapter now and I think we're in a new chapter too.
“A lot of focus has been shifted away from it and it's been shared across the team which is great.
“We have Babs [Papley] There he also leads the front line as well. But absolutely [I want to be a leader] If I can push the front group, but also the team as a whole.
“It doesn't matter what position you play in, I think I'll try to push as many of the boys as I can to be the best they can be.
“We have a really strong young group and we've brought in a few experienced players as well which is great, but just keep bringing them in, keep leading them and see how far we can go.”
Heaney realizes that part of that responsibility is the extra focus on his individual performance. After being named to the all-Australia squad for 2022, Heaney plateaued last season and by his own admission, his shots at goal were below par.
In a team that will be looking for a new source of goals, devote more time to finding that spark again.
“I never guessed whether you wanted to call it 'yip,'” Heaney said.
“I don't look at it as nonsense, but you look at the difficulty of some of the goals as well, it can add a lot.
“But I thought about it in the off-season to make sure I make the most of my opportunities and I did and I'm excited to see how we go throughout the year.”
While working on his attacking skills has been the focus in pre-season, Heaney has managed to balance that work by spending more time in midfield.
Pushing for pit stops was a tactic often used by John Longmire to get the best out of Heaney. And the 27-year-old agrees that he plays his best when he can make an impact on the ground.
“I want to play in the position where the Horses need me most for the team,” Heaney said. “And kick a little more accurately than last year, that would be great.
“I feel really good and the body is holding up well at the moment.
“I've been doing some midfield training throughout pre-season. I think it ultimately comes down to personnel and where the Horse need me the most.
“If we need people to score goals, hopefully I can get up there and do the job. If I need a bit of grunt in midfield, I'll try to jump in there too.”
“I try to train as much as I can of both positions and I think a good combination for myself is when I play my best.”
