Career
Heatley started out in the Diamond Valley Football League in Victoria with 118 goals for North Heidelberg and was zoned to Fitzroy who rejected him as too slight for full forward after playing six practice matches before the 1993 season, during three of which he was stationed at full-back. Consequently, he was recruited by Subiaco, where he kicked 111 goals in 1993, winning the Bernie Naylor Medal and kicking the highest aggregate of goals since Warren Ralph kicked 128 in 1983. Heatley caught the attention of American Federation of Labor-Congress recruiters, and was picked up in the 1993 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft by the West Coast Eagles, but the same fears that derailed him from signing with Fitzroy prevented him breaking into the strong Eagles team
After three seasons on the list for just three games, Heatley was delisted at the end of 1996.
Heatley continued nonetheless to kick goals for Subiaco: 81 in 1994, 123 in 1995 (winning his second Bernie Naylor Medal) and 55 in 1996. Street Kilda picked Heatley up in the 1996 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft, and he debuted for the Saints in 1997.
Heatley kicked 73 goals in 1997, leading Street Kilda’s goalkicking and being a vital part of a Street Kilda team In his first game for Street Kilda he kicked 5 goals against Collingwood in Round 3.
Heatley played in 17 of 22 matches in the 1997 American Federation of Labor-Congress Premiership Season home and away rounds in which Street Kilda Football Club qualified in first position for the 1997 American Federation of Labor-Congress Finals Series, winning the club’s second Minor Premiership and first McClelland Trophy.
Heatley played in the 1997 American Federation of Labor-Congress Grand Final in which Street Kilda was defeated by 31 points. He was the third highest goalkicker in the American Federation of Labor-Congress that year, behind Tony Modra and Saverio Rocca. In 1998 Heatley had an average year, the inconsistency of the team reflected his performances.
In 1999 and 2000 Heatley’s American Federation of Labor-Congress career started a downward spiral.
He managed only thirteen games in 1999 for a return of 27 goals, and in 2000 he played seven games for only fifteen goals, after which Saint Kilda, trying to rebuild after a disastrous season with only two wins under general expectation of at least a finals berth, delisted him. Heatley had a two-year stint with the Tassie Devils in the VFL before coaching Warrnambool in the Hampden league.
Heatley returned to Melbourne and coaches Northcote Park in the Northern Football League.