What has happened to Heeney’s form? Swan called to respond in a big way amid slump

David King is putting Sydney’s Isaac Heeney in the gun ahead of Saturday night’s clash against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.

The Swans star has been brilliant in 2024, ranking first in stoppages per game and in the top 20 for stoppage clearances, clearances, inside 50s and contested possessions per game.

While the 28-year-old has no doubt had a career season, his form has dropped off somewhat in the last month as he’s had six or fewer clearances in his last four games, has had three games of 24 or fewer disposals and has gone goalless in four of his last five matches.

Heeney’s drop in form has coincided with Sydney’s drop off as they’ve lost four of their last five and King thinks he and his star teammates need to get rolling again to remain atop the ladder in the lead-in to finals.

“I'm putting Isaac Heeney in the gun,” King told SEN Breakfast.

“I just think that they need this guy to respond. They're craving their midfield goal scorers to get back into form.

“Errol Gulden, Heeney and Chad Warner have dropped off in terms of their score returns. They've only done it against a couple of teams they've had their way with.

“But they’re out of form as a team at the moment, their game is just slightly off. They just need their A-graders to get rolling again.”

With Heeney primarily a forward that could pinch hit in the midfield before this season, King theorised that the star Swan could be getting tired after playing 18 straight games as a full-time on-baller.

He thinks that coach John Longmire should consider putting Heeney inside 50 again.

“Now Heeney's kicking is as poor as I've seen it for a long time,” King said.

“I don't know whether he's tired or tiring after his full year as a midfielder, which he hasn't really done in the past.

“I just wonder whether John Longmire now decides to throw him forward and see whether he can just destroy a game as that pseudo centre-half-forward that we know he can be.

“Maybe play 70 per cent forward, 30 per cent mid rather than 90 per cent, 10 per cent the other way because they need a spark.”

Saturday night’s game between the Power and Swans at the Adelaide Oval begins at 7:30 pm (AEST).