Caiden Cleary was certain what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“I want to be an AFL player,” he says in an old video his family kept up their sleeve before bringing it back out when it actually happened on draft day last year.

After three AFL games as Sydney’s sub, Cleary played his first game as a starter for the Swans last week in round 23 against Essendon, taking the opportunity with both hands as he filled the absence of Tom Papley and Sam Wicks as a small forward.

He had more touches by halftime than Carey-Bunton medallist Isaac Heeney and ended up being named among the Swans’ best in their vital win over the Bombers.

“I’m extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity, just the trust that I was given to play a role for the team, I am really happy to do that,” Cleary said.

Cleary’s football and childhood roots are in Sydney’s inner west, playing juniors for Newtown and then the Glebe-Newtown joint venture before joining Sydney University’s under 19s, helping the Students to the 2022 premiership.

He credits his junior days at Newtown and Glebe for sparking his footy dream.

“It was great, it was very community based, all about involvement and enjoyment, and just having fun,” he said. “That’s where I reckon my love for footy grew, so it’s definitely something I really enjoyed and something I’ll always look back to. I’ve made lifelong friends from there as well.”

And many of those friends have come with him to the Swans VFL and AFL sides.

“I’m good mates with Corey Warner and Angus Sheldrick, a few of the first-year boys such as Will Green, Patrick Snell, and Indhi Kirk I’m really close with as well. I feel very comfortable where I am.”

He’d been part of the Swans since he was 10, when he joined their Academy and throughout his footy life has forged footy friendships playing with NSW, Allies and Academy teams. He’s used to starring on the MCG, named BOG in the Under 17s Futures game before the 2022 AFL grand final and, while playing seniors for Uni and reserves for the Swans in 2023, was named in the All-Australian team after his role in the Allies’ first triumph in the under18s national championships.

And, after being duly drafted by his hometown club last year, that ancient video of the primary school boy and his dream got plenty of likes. He’s now one of eight current Sydney players recruited locally from the academy.

“The transition between academy and senior side is so much easier being based in Sydney, you already get to train with them before you’re on the list, it’s really helped me,” Cleary said.

After receiving his debut guernsey in round 15, he made the dream start to an AFL career, joining the rare club of players who have kicked a goal with their first touch, albeit it from a handball over the top in the goal square.

“It wasn’t the greatest goal of all time; but it was pretty cool. All the boys getting around me, it was pretty surreal. Having my family in the crowd has been a dream of mine” Cleary said.

Having already wrapped up the Carey-Bunton Medal as the best NSW player in the AFL with two rounds to go, Heeney is now aiming for the double and has taken the lead in the Bill Mohr medal for leading goalkicker.

His three goals last week took him to 28 for the season, one ahead of Adelaide’s Taylor Walker with the final round of the home-and-away season this week.

LEADERBOARDS
CAREY BUNTON MEDAL – Coaches Votes for the Best NSW Player in the AFL – Round 23 – embargoed
102   Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans/ Cardiff)      
78    Errol Gulden (Sydney Swans / UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)    
30    Nick Blakey (Sydney Swans/ UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)      
18    Jack Buckley (GWS Giants / UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)      
16    James Peatling (GWS Giants / Pennant Hills )    
15     Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast Suns/ Sydney University)    
15    Kieren Briggs (GWS Giants / Pennant Hills)      
14    Harry Himmelberg (GWS Giants/ Mangoplah- Cookardina Eastlakes)    
10    Cooper Sharman ( St Kilda / Leeton-Whitton)     
9     Todd Marshall (Port Adelaide/ Deniliquin) 
5     Taylor Walker (Adelaide/ North Broken Hill)     
5     Tom Hawkins (Geelong/ Finley) 
4     Daniel Turner ( Melbourne – Albury) 
3     Harry Perryman (GWS Giants / Collingullie-Glenfield Park)   
2     Zac Williams (Carlton – Narrandera) 
2     Matthew Kennedy (Carlton/ Collingullie-Glenfield Park)      
2     Shaun Mannagh (Geelong – North Albury)    
1     Taylor Duryea (Western Bulldogs – Corowa  Rutherglen )                              

BILL MOHR MEDAL – NSW player Leading Goalkicker in the AFL – Round 23
28    Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans/ Cardiff)                        3 goals
27    Taylor Walker (Adelaide/ North Broken Hill)     
24    Lachlan Schultz (Collingwood/ Moama)                       2 goals
20    Todd Marshall (Port Adelaide/ Deniliquin) 
18    Luke Breust (Hawthorn / Temora)     
18    Cooper Sharman ( St Kilda / Leeton-Whitton)               2 goals
16    Matthew Kennedy (Carlton/ Collingullie-Glenfield Park)   2 goals
15    Tom Hawkins (Geelong/ Finley) 
15    Zac Williams (Carlton – Narrandera)                                  1 goal
13    Errol Gulden (Sydney Swans / UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)    
12    Jeremy Finalyson (Port Adelaide / Culcairn)     
12    Daniel Turner ( Melbourne – Albury) 
12    Jacob Koschitzke (Richmond/ Albury)       
10    Sam Wicks (Sydney Swans/ Manly-Warringah) 
10    Shaun Mannagh (Geelong – North Albury)                      2 goals
9     Harvey Thomas (GWS Giants – Turvey Park ) 
8     Elliott  Himmelberg (Adelaide/ Mangoplah- Cookardina Eastlakes)   
7     Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast Suns/ Sydney University)     2 goals
5     Campbell Chesser (West Coast – Lavington )      
5     Patrick Voss ( Fremantle – Turvey Park)                         2 goals
4     James Peatling (GWS Giants – Pennant Hills )    
4     Braeden Campbell (Sydney Swans / Pennant Hills)         2 goals
3     Nick Blakey (Sydney Swans/ UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)      
3     Isaac Cumming (GWS Giants / North Broken Hill)  
3     Harry Perryman (GWS Giants / Collingullie-Glenfield Park)   
3     Jacob Hopper (Richmond / Leeton-Whitton)                    1 goal
2     Kieren Briggs (GWS Giants/ Pennant Hills)                      1 goal
2     Callum Mills (Sydney Swans / Mosman)      
2     Jacob Bauer (Richmond / Inner West Magpies)     
2     Caiden Cleary (Sydney Swans / Sydney University )     1 goal
1     Jack Buckley (GWS Giants / UNSW-Eastern Suburbs)      
1     Harry Cunningham (Sydney Swans/ Turvey Park)    
1     Matthew Flynn (West Coast Eagles / Narrandera)