“Isaac Heeney,” wrote John Hislop, of the snowy-haired boy in his 2005 Cardiff Hawks under-10s.

“Isaac showed consistent brilliance throughout the season to be one of our key players. His ability to play in all three zones has prepared him for an amazing AFL future.”

It is being written. On Thursday afternoon an “incredibly nervous” Adam and Rochelle Heeney boarded a flight to Melbourne ahead of their younger son’s first AFL grand final. 

On Friday the Sydney Swans midfielder and forward who grew up on a farm in Stockrington took his place in the most Melbourne of pageants, the grand final parade.

Carried in a sponsor’s ute from the old Treasury. Down Spring Street, along Wellington Parade. In the orbit of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Australian sport wobbles on its axis more than anywhere else, Isaac Heeney was confronted by red, white and blue.

Barely a thread of Sydney red in a Western Bulldogs-mad town, state and – at least for the weekend – nation.

But as the Dogs have whet appetites for a fairytale, Heeney has been arguably the player of the finals. His take-down of Geelong’s Mark Blicavs – a giant of a man who nearly ran at the Olympics – was likened to a pro wrestling move and prompted curiosity down south; “is that rugby?”

Much of it has been familiar to Cardiff senior coach Adam Dugan, who coached Heeney as a teenager.

“You can see him coming of age. In that first [finals] game the Swans lost [to Greater Western Sydney] he played OK in a beaten team, but the next two games he really stood out,” Dugan said.

“He’s always thrown himself into tackles hard, against men bigger than him.”

Usually a specialist midfielder, Heeney had been used as a small forward for stretches of the season until coach John Longmire asked him to take on more responsibility for the finals.

Longmire has named Heeney to play on the ball in the grand final against the Bulldogs’ intimidating midfield.

Well before the bounce, the Duke of Wellington Hotel will spill over with Black Diamond AFL players from across the league, and bitter rivalries will go on hold.

Dugan said the same happened for Nelson Bay’s Craig Bird’s appearance in the 2012 grand final. It’s the done thing to support one of your own.

But even if it wasn’t, people would make an exception for Isaac Heeney.