Dane Swan
Encyclopedia
Dane Swan is an Australian rules football
er for Collingwood
in the Australian Football League
.
Since 2007 Swan has emerged as one of the AFL's elite midfielders, winner of the prestigious Brownlow Medal
in 2011 with a record tally of 34 votes. He has been selected in the All-Australian team three times and has an AFL Players Association Most Valuable Player award.
Swan has also proven to be a Collingwood great, having won the Best and Fairest
Award three years running from 2008-2010.
and Williamstown
from 1976–1993.
He grew up playing junior football for the Westmeadows Football Club
in the Essendon District Football League
, and attended St. Bernard's College in Essendon before playing his under 18 football with the Calder Cannons
in the TAC Cup
.
Swan's performances at the Calder Cannons were ordinary and he was perceived by some recruiters to be a larrikin
with questionable kicking accuracy and work ethic, however Collingwood showed an interest in him as a potential late maturer in the mould of his father and took him at the relatively low draft pick (#58) in the 2001 AFL Draft
.
In 2006, he broke through, played 21 games and finished sixth in the EW Copeland Trophy voting. Swan mainly rotated through the midfield and moved forward when required. His first nine weeks were productive, averaging nearly 26 disposals and kicked 15 goals, before a hamstring injury suffered against Brisbane in round ten sidelined him until round 13.
2007 was considered his breakout season as he placed fourth in the Copeland Trophy and was a surprise packet at the Brownlow, leading for most of the night before finishing sixth with 20 votes.
In Collingwood's 2009 round 10 clash against Port Adelaide Swan obtained 48 possessions, 22 kicks and 26 handballs. This was the best disposal count in a decade and was then the third highest recorded disposals count in one match, behind Greg Williams' 53 and Tony Shaw's 50. It was a record since the length of game quarters was shortened from 25 minutes to 20 minutes in 1994, until surpassed in Round 22 2011 by Adelaide's Scott Thompson
(51 disposals).
He was ranked 3rd in Total Inside 50s, 4th in Total Goal Assists, 1st in Total Kicks, 14th in Total Handballs, 1st in Total Disposals, 10th in Total Marks, 5th in Inside 50s Per Game, 13th in Goal Assists Per Game, 2nd in Kicks Per Game, 2nd in Disposals Per Game. He was voted runner up at the AFLPA MVP awards (poling 584 votes), losing to Gary Ablett (688). He was regarded as one of the front runners for the Brownlow Medal
, but finished outside the top ten.
Swan was selected in the 2009 All-Australian side, but controversially as a half forward flanker, rather than as a midfielder, which is his usual position.
) after a vote of the players. That year he was also elected as the ruck-rover for the AFL All-Australian Team. His very consistent season was a cornerstone to Collingwood's 15th Premiership, to the point of having his tattoos referenced on the Herald Sun Premiership Poster. Swan finished third in the Brownlow Medal count, having started favourite. On 31 October in the International Rules Series
he won the Jim Stynes Medal. At the conclusion of the season, Swan became only the fourth ever Collingwood player to win three consecutive Copeland Trophies
.
with 34 votes - the most recorded in a count since the 3-2-1 system came into effect.
, in which a security guard was knocked unconscious. The bashing was so brutal the it left the victim with "permanent brain damage". He was charged with 13 offences, including assault, affray
, and intentionally causing serious injury. Swan was convicted of affray, ordered to perform community service and to pay $100,000 to the victim. In an interview in 2010, Swan detailed how close the incident came to ending his football career for good. Coach Mick Malthouse
gave him a second chance however, believing that Swan didn't deserve to have his career derailed because of one stupid decision.
In July 2010, he was hit in the mouth at a nightclub.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er for Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Since 2007 Swan has emerged as one of the AFL's elite midfielders, winner of the prestigious Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
in 2011 with a record tally of 34 votes. He has been selected in the All-Australian team three times and has an AFL Players Association Most Valuable Player award.
Swan has also proven to be a Collingwood great, having won the Best and Fairest
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
Award three years running from 2008-2010.
Early life
Swan was born in Melbourne, Victoria to parents Billy and Deidre Swan. His father Billy Swan played 302 games with Port MelbournePort Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
and Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
from 1976–1993.
He grew up playing junior football for the Westmeadows Football Club
Westmeadows Football Club
The Westmeadows Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 19 km north west of Melbourne in the suburb of Westmeadows and is affiliated with the Essendon District Football League....
in the Essendon District Football League
Essendon District Football League
The Essendon District Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne, which was established in 1930.The EDFL consists of 24 senior clubs, 10 clubs in A Grade and 14 clubs in B Grade...
, and attended St. Bernard's College in Essendon before playing his under 18 football with the Calder Cannons
Calder Cannons
The Calder Cannons are an Australian rules football club from Melbourne, Australia.The club competes in the TAC Cup and fields squads in the U15, 16 and most importantly the U18s. The club was formed in 1995 after the need for two more metropolitan clubs...
in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
.
Swan's performances at the Calder Cannons were ordinary and he was perceived by some recruiters to be a larrikin
Larrikinism
Larrikinism is the name given to the Australian folk tradition of irreverence, mockery of authority and disregard for rigid norms of propriety. Larrikinism can also be associated with self-deprecating humour.- Etymology :...
with questionable kicking accuracy and work ethic, however Collingwood showed an interest in him as a potential late maturer in the mould of his father and took him at the relatively low draft pick (#58) in the 2001 AFL Draft
2001 AFL Draft
The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83...
.
Career
Swan made his debut in June 2003 at the age of 19, though he only played three games (against Western Bulldogs, Richmond and Essendon). Swan managed just 30 games in his first four seasons in the system at Collingwood, and although he played some solid football in that time, was not regarded as outstanding.In 2006, he broke through, played 21 games and finished sixth in the EW Copeland Trophy voting. Swan mainly rotated through the midfield and moved forward when required. His first nine weeks were productive, averaging nearly 26 disposals and kicked 15 goals, before a hamstring injury suffered against Brisbane in round ten sidelined him until round 13.
2007 was considered his breakout season as he placed fourth in the Copeland Trophy and was a surprise packet at the Brownlow, leading for most of the night before finishing sixth with 20 votes.
2008
The 2008 Copeland Trophy winner had a strong year averaging 25 disposals, seven marks, three tackles and one goal a game. Swan led the team in total disposals (590) and kicks (368), second in marks (163), and third in handballs (222) and tackles (75). He had 14 games of 25 possessions or more and kicked two or more goals on six occasions. Round 10 against West Coast was one of Swan’s best collecting 34 possessions, 10 marks and two goals. In round 14 against Sydney, he had 30 touches and 13 marks.2009
In the 2009 AFL Premiership Season, Swan averaged 31.8 disposals, 7.8 marks, 3.0 tackles and 5.4 inside 50s per game. He is one of the AFL's most prolific ball winners, along with being an in-and-under specialist winning the contested ball at most stoppages whilst also running hard.In Collingwood's 2009 round 10 clash against Port Adelaide Swan obtained 48 possessions, 22 kicks and 26 handballs. This was the best disposal count in a decade and was then the third highest recorded disposals count in one match, behind Greg Williams' 53 and Tony Shaw's 50. It was a record since the length of game quarters was shortened from 25 minutes to 20 minutes in 1994, until surpassed in Round 22 2011 by Adelaide's Scott Thompson
Scott Thompson (footballer)
Scott Thompson is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .-Melbourne career:He was drafted by Melbourne with the 16th selection in the 2000 AFL Draft from Port Adelaide in the SANFL. Debuting with the Melbourne in 2001 as a 19-year-old, he struggled to break through into...
(51 disposals).
He was ranked 3rd in Total Inside 50s, 4th in Total Goal Assists, 1st in Total Kicks, 14th in Total Handballs, 1st in Total Disposals, 10th in Total Marks, 5th in Inside 50s Per Game, 13th in Goal Assists Per Game, 2nd in Kicks Per Game, 2nd in Disposals Per Game. He was voted runner up at the AFLPA MVP awards (poling 584 votes), losing to Gary Ablett (688). He was regarded as one of the front runners for the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
, but finished outside the top ten.
Swan was selected in the 2009 All-Australian side, but controversially as a half forward flanker, rather than as a midfielder, which is his usual position.
2010
Swan averaged 31.9 disposals, including 19 kicks per game. On 6 September, Swan won the AFL Players Association MVP Award (Leigh Matthews TrophyLeigh Matthews Trophy
The Leigh Matthews Trophy is an annual award given by the AFL Players Association to the Most Valuable Player in the Australian Football League. It is named in honour of Leigh Matthews, who won the first MVP award in 1982, when the league was still known as the Victorian Football League...
) after a vote of the players. That year he was also elected as the ruck-rover for the AFL All-Australian Team. His very consistent season was a cornerstone to Collingwood's 15th Premiership, to the point of having his tattoos referenced on the Herald Sun Premiership Poster. Swan finished third in the Brownlow Medal count, having started favourite. On 31 October in the International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
he won the Jim Stynes Medal. At the conclusion of the season, Swan became only the fourth ever Collingwood player to win three consecutive Copeland Trophies
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
.
2011
With Swan's contract at Collingwood due to expire at the end of 2011, there was much pre-season media speculation over a possible move to new AFL club Greater Western Sydney. This was put to rest during the lead-up week to the season's commencement when Collingwood announced that Swan had signed a new three-year deal, committing him to the club till the end of 2014. Swan started 2011 the same way he finished the 2010 season, in scintillating fashion. He attained 40 disposals in round 2 against North Melbourne but he sustained a quad injury close to the midway point of the season and his form deteriorated. Collingwood decided to send Swan with team mates Brent Macaffer, Darren Jolly and Nathan Brown to a high altitude training camp in Arizona in an attempt to help the players recover from their individual injuries faster. The trip proved wonders for Swan, with an immediate effect on his playing performances. In the next six games after his return, he had an average of 35.33 disposals per game with an outstanding effort against Essendon accumulating 45 possessions and 1 goal. He later won the 2011 Brownlow MedalBrownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
with 34 votes - the most recorded in a count since the 3-2-1 system came into effect.
Achievements
- Brownlow Medal
- 1st - 2011
- 3rd - 2010
- 6th - 2007
- Copeland Trophy (Collingwood Best & Fairest)
- 2008, 2009, 2010
- JF McHale Trophy Trophy (4th Collingwood Best & Fairest)
- 2007
- AFL Premiership Player
- 2010
- AFLCA Champion Moves Coaches' award
- 2010
- Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFLPA MVP Award)
- 2010
- Jim Stynes Medal (Best player of the Australian International rules team)
- 2010
- Lou Richards Medal
- 2010
- All Australian (AFL team of the year)
- 2009, 2010, 2011
| Brownlow Medal Brownlow Medal The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game... votes |
|
| Season | Votes |
|---|---|
| 2003 | — |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 2006 Brownlow Medal The 2006 Brownlow Medal was awarded to Adam Goodes from the Sydney Swans for being the best and fairest player during the 2006 Australian Football League home and away season. It is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was held at the Crown Palladium in... |
11 |
| 2007 2007 Brownlow Medal Round 2 Round 3 Round 4Round 5-Rounds 6–10:Round 6Round 7Round 8Round 9 Round 10-Rounds 11–15:Round 11Round 12 Round 13Round 14 Round 15-Rounds 16–20:... |
20 |
| 2008 2008 Brownlow Medal The 2008 Brownlow Medal was awarded to Adam Cooney of the Western Bulldogs, who was adjudged to have been the best and fairest player during the 2008 Australian Football League home and away season. It is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was held at the Crown... |
12 |
| 2009 2009 Brownlow Medal -Voting Procedure:The three field umpires confer after each match and award 3 votes, 2 votes and 1 vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively.-Ineligible players:As the award is for the Best and Fairest player in the league, players found guilty... |
12 |
| 2010 2010 Brownlow Medal The Brownlow Medal is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was awarded in 2010 to Chris Judd from the Carlton Football Club for being voted as the fairest and best during the 2010 Australian Football League home and away season. The vote counting ceremony was held... |
24 |
| 2011 2011 Brownlow Medal The Brownlow Medal is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football. The award was presented on Monday, 26 September, in the week before the 2011 AFL Grand Final.-Leading votegetters:... |
34 |
| Total | 113 |
Controversy
In 2003, Swan was charged following a brawl at Federation SquareFederation Square
Federation Square is a civic centre and cultural precinct in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, in which a security guard was knocked unconscious. The bashing was so brutal the it left the victim with "permanent brain damage". He was charged with 13 offences, including assault, affray
Affray
In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law, affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of two or more persons in a public place to the terror of ordinary people...
, and intentionally causing serious injury. Swan was convicted of affray, ordered to perform community service and to pay $100,000 to the victim. In an interview in 2010, Swan detailed how close the incident came to ending his football career for good. Coach Mick Malthouse
Mick Malthouse
Michael "Mick" Malthouse is a former Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Collingwood Football Club.While his playing career included a premiership for Richmond in the VFL, he is best known for his Australian Football League coaching career.Malthouse is the most successful coach...
gave him a second chance however, believing that Swan didn't deserve to have his career derailed because of one stupid decision.
In July 2010, he was hit in the mouth at a nightclub.