Dane Swan back at The Footy Show, and he has plans

COLLINGWOOD great Dane Swan wants to put a bit of larrikin back into footy, alongside his new The Footy Show partners-in-crime, Brendan Fevola and Chris Judd.

COLLINGWOOD great Dane Swan believes footy has become too serious.

The Brownlow Medallist and Magpie character is planning to put a bit of larrikin back into The Footy Show which has recruited him, along with Brendan Fevola and Chris Judd, for the 2018 season.

“Of course footy is too serious. It is a billion dollar industry. Clubs take it extremely seriously because it is all about their bottom line and it is very hard to argue with that because they are in the business of making money and winning,” Swan said.

“But I am back on The Footy Show now. They gave me the ar** a couple of years ago and now they have called me back. I’ve gone back with my tail between my legs.

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Dane Swan, Brendan Fevola and Chris Judd have been recruited for The Footy Show’s 2018 season. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“Fev obviously got the ar** as well so he is coming back and Juddy can do what he pleases because he is Chris Judd.

“Went out for dinner the other night and came up with some ideas of what we can do.

“It will be serious when it needs to be serious but I think most people want that light entertainment on a Thursday night.

“People are interested in the players, former and current and what they do, and not just who they think will win between say the Bulldogs and Essendon. You get tips everywhere.

“People want to have a laugh and not see us take ourselves too seriously.”

Swan, 33, retired from footy at the end of the 2016 season after 15 headline-making years at Collingwood.

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Life after footy is pretty good for Dane Swan, pictured at his newly renovated pub The Albion in South Melbourne. Picture: Jason Edwards

While he misses the team camaraderie, the seemingly unflappable Swan admits the stress that was inherent with playing elite level football did affect him.

“I am not mentally stressed anymore,” he said.

“I thought I was really good at pushing footy to the back burner - that was a sh** game, don’t worry about it - but you don’t realise the stress footy puts you under until you finish.

“I loved my 15 years, I would not change a thing, but I have no desire to go back. I was ready for the next phase of my life for quite a while.

“If you get to 30 and you are playing AFL and you don’t start preparing for the next phase of your life you are kidding yourself.

“I still love the Pies (but) now I am just a Collingwood supporter who happened to play for them.”

The Albion is Swan’s first foray into hospitality. Picture: Jason Edwards

Swan’s life after footy involves TV, a fashion label (Ratbagg), tattoo shop (Renegade Art Society), international sporting tours, and The Albion Hotel in South Melbourne which finally opened on Saturday night after a massive fire destroyed the venue in 2015 and left a damages bill pushing $6 million.

The rebuilt Albion, Swan’s first foray into hospitality, stretches over three levels and features a spectacular rooftop space.

“Good things come to those who wait. We have had to wait a long time and Melbourne has had to wait a long time for another awesome venue,” he said.

“I have spent a lot of time in hospitality, bars and stuff like that, so I guess it was only a matter of time before I went down the path of investing in one.

“I much prefer to be in front of the bar, that is my forte I think, but if it is chock-a-block on a Friday or Saturday and I can’t get myself a drink, I might pull rank and slip myself behind the bar and pull myself a beer.”

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