Isaac Heeney, one of the top contenders for this year’s Brownlow Medal, is likely to face a suspension following an incident in Sydney’s recent game. The Sydney Swans are expected to challenge AFL Match Review Officer Michael Christian’s decision.
In a separate case, Adelaide Crows player Izak Rankine has been offered a four-match suspension for a bump on Brisbane defender Brandon Starcevich, who suffered a concussion. Christian deemed the act intentional, with severe impact and high contact.
Fox Footy analyst Cameron Mooney commented on Heeney’s situation, stating, “Yeah, he’s in a bit of trouble, unfortunately.” Mooney described the incident, explaining how Heeney unintentionally struck his opponent in the head, likely leading to a suspension.
Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph also weighed in, noting that Heeney’s actions would fall under new regulations on intentional fend-offs. “There is a big development — it looks almost certain that Isaac Heeney is out of the Brownlow race,” Ralph said. He emphasized that under the updated rules, such actions are typically graded as intentional.
Swans coach John Longmire claimed he did not see the incident, while Saints coach Ross Lyon praised his team for maintaining focus despite the event. Lyon acknowledged that Heeney’s actions, though unintended, impacted the game when Heeney “clipped” Saints player Jimmy Webster and then scored two goals.
“Heeney got two interesting ones. He certainly didn’t mean to clock Webster, but accidentally clips him in the head and goes down and takes an uncontested mark,” Lyon said. He added that Webster was “OK” and reiterated that there was no malice in Heeney’s act.
