Isaac Heeney celebrates a goal during round 19, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

SYDNEY can keep dreaming of finals after Isaac Heeney added a touch of class to a scrappy contest as well as an equal career-high goal haul in a 31-point triumph over North Melbourne at the SCG.

The Swans are still a mathematical chance of chasing down the top eight but have much room for improvement after taking until the final term to put away the plucky Kangaroos in a 12.12 (84) to 7.11 (53) victory on Saturday.

SWANS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

The Roos stayed in the game as their manic pressure stifled the Swans’ ball movement but lacked the polish to make the most of their own opportunities before the hosts ran away in the final term to cling on to their faint finals hopes.

While several Swans were dragged down the Roos level for three quarters, Heeney continued to dazzle and finally broke the game open with three critical goals in the final term.

Heeney finished with 34 disposals, 13 clearances and five goals as the standout in what was often a dour encounter, as even former Swans co-captain Luke Parker could not contain his old teammate.  

While Heeney went to work whether at the coalface, in open spaces or closer to goal, Swans ruck Brodie Grundy was left to dominate the ruck battle.

With Kangaroos’ ruck Tristan Xerri missing through suspension and the luckless Callum Coleman-Jones subbed out at the first break with a calf injury, Grundy was left to bully Brynn Teakle in his first game of the season.

The 31-year-old continued his white-hot form with 22 disposals, 11 clearances and 62 hit-outs, though Teakle (17, 5, 1 goal) was competitive around the ground and the Kangaroos matched the Swans at the stoppages.

The Swans’ other big guns were also firing as the tireless Errol Gulden continued his rousing return from a long injury layoff to gather 20 disposals while Chad Warner (26) threatened to tear the game open in the forward half though finished with 1.3.

Nick Blakey continued his return to form with 29 disposals while Callum Mills (27) is also showing signs of being back to his best whether in the back half of stepping into the engine room.

The Kangaroos had the game on their terms early as they tackled hard and pressured the Swans into mistakes.

But with their own basic skill errors spread across the ground and even the sure-handed Harry Sheezel turning the ball over, the Roos were too often unable to make the most of locking the ball in their forward half.

Luke Davies-Uniacke sparkled on his return from a brief stint on the sidelines due to a concussion and gathered 26 disposals with five clearances, while captain Jy Simpkin (28) stepped up and gave the Roos a glimmer of hope with a late goal.

Colby McKercher showed promising signs despite some sloppy kicking before Swans’ minder James Jordon was sent to him in the second half, while the Roos paid the price for their wasteful ball use.

Rising Roos midfielder earns a badge of honour
Colby McKercher looms as a critical piece in the Kangaroos’ rebuild puzzle as he makes an impact with his blistering pace and penetrating kicking coming out of defence with the promise of much more to come. The 20-year-old was given an early glimpse of what he might encounter when he makes a more regular move into the midfield as Swans’ tagger James Jordon was sent to him in the second half. McKercher had 13 disposals at the main break while threatening to break the game open each time he had the ball in hand, before Jordon put the clamps on to restrict the rising Roo to 22 touches and a late goal for the game.

Heeney does it all in five-star show
Isaac Heeney is known for taking hangers and booting goals from impossible angles but he put in a match-defining performance against the Roos while simply doing everything that he does to perfection. Marks on the lead, contested grabs in one-on-one battles with key defenders, and a special one-handed catch that would be more suited to a slip cordon at the SCG during summer were the order of the day. Heeney still snapped goals and lit up the contest but showed that he is more than just a highlight reel while becoming the first player to boot five goals while also gathering 13 clearances among his 34 touches for the game.

Luckless ruck’s horror run leaves Roos short
This might have been the scene for a ruck battle for the ages between a pair of combative All-Australian contenders. But with North Melbourne’s Tristan Xerri suspended, Callum Coleman-Jones and Brynn Teakle were recalled to double team the red-hot Brodie Grundy. The Swans ruck made a strong start and dominated the hit-outs throughout, while the Kangaroos all but gave up on contesting the taps once Coleman-Jones was subbed out at the first break. The former Tiger’s horror run since joining the Roos ahead of the 2022 season continued as he injured a calf in his first game back since rupturing an Achilles tendon on Good Friday last year. The Swans won the hit-outs 80-10, but that would be little concern for the luckless 26-year-old after another injury in just his 32nd game.

SYDNEY                          3.3       7.5       7.9       12.12 (84)
NORTH MELBOURNE      2.3       4.5       5.9       7.11 (53)

GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 5, Buller 2, McLean, Gulden, McInerney, Warner, Campbell
North Melbourne: Harvey 2, Teakle, Darling, Sheezel, Simpkin, McKercher

BEST
Sydney: Heeney, Grundy, Blakey, Gulden, Warner, Mills, McInerney
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, McKercher, Powell, Sheezel

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
North Melbourne: Coleman-Jones (calf)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Peter Ladhams (replaced Riley Bice at three quarter-time)
North Melbourne: Zac Banch (replaced Callum Coleman-Jones at quarter-time)

Crowd: 31,909 at the SCG