‘Swan song’: Collingwood Brownlow Medallist to join AFL Cairns
Cairns will play host to its third Brownlow Medallist in three years with one of the greats of the modern era set to lace up in the Far North.
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Cairns will play host to its third Brownlow Medallist in three years with one of the greats of the modern era set to lace up in the Far North.
Collingwood Magpies superstar Dane Swan, who won the 2011 Brownlow Medal, will head to Fretwell Park on May 3 and boost the Cutters midfield when they take on premiership contenders Cairns City Lions in round four.
Following the Saturday afternoon fixture, Swan will host a sportsman’s night at the Cutters clubhouse.
Swan will boost the Cutters line up who have already recruited former Richmond Tigers premiership player Brandon Ellis for the 2025 season.
The 2010 Magpies premiership star, who featured in both the drawn grand final against St Kilda and the winning grand final a week later, is another superstar name to feature in the AFL Cairns competition.
Following on from Trent Cotchin who played for Port Douglas Crocs last season and Gary Ablett Jr. who featured for the CTB Bulldogs in 2023.
AFL Cairns football operations manager Brad Channon said it is another huge coup for the competition.
“We’re always keen to have top-end talent come to the league,” Channon said.
“Having someone of Swan’s calibre is unreal. The Cutters have done a great job of promoting the league through the marquee player system, it’s just another way we can promote footy in the tropics. It’s exciting for the community to have Swan up here and hopefully he’ll put on a show for the Cutters faithful.”
After a stellar 258 games of AFL football for Collingwood, the prolific ball-winner retired in 2016 as one of the Magpies fiercest performers.
He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2024 as a five-time all-Australian between 2009 and 2013 and three-time Copeland Trophy winner (Collingwood best and fairest).
The 40-year old is one of several high-profile footballers including Eddie Betts, Jason Akermanis and Brendan Fevola who frequently feature across regional Australia in one-off marquee matches.
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Originally published as ‘Swan song’: Collingwood Brownlow Medallist to join AFL Cairns
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