Former AFL star criticised for bizarre social media tweet

A Brownlow Medallist has come under fire following a bizarre social media post.

Former Collingwood champion Dane Swan has received searing criticism online after he attempted to shame men for buying tampons, while inadvertently revealing he did not know what tampons looked like.

The 2011 Brownlow Medallist posted a picture to Twitter on Wednesday of supermarket shelves stacked with men’s protective underwear, but appeared to claim the items were tampons.

“It’s been some day folks cause today is the day I learnt that men can buy tampons. I’ve now officially seen it all,” he captioned the tweet, which has not been deleted.

It’s been some day folks cause today is the day i learnt that men can buy tampons. I’ve now officially seen it all.
Bookmark this too please @rtralphy . pic.twitter.com/uCyp4FDl9i

— Dane Swan (@swandane) January 4, 2023

“This photo contains zero tampons,” a user quickly replied.

“Dane, my dude, I reckon you’ve gotta get some tampons (not these things) to stick up your nose to prevent whatever brains you may have left from falling out of your head,” another woman wrote.

The protective underwear in the photograph included male incontinence pads, which are used by men with pelvic floor and prostate issues often due to disease and old age.

Brien Seeney, a physiotherapist who runs the highly popular NRL Physio account on Twitter, suggested Swan was being hypocritical with his tweet.

Dane Swan at the 2022 Brownlow Medal after suffering an ankle injury.

“Thought you were an advocate for men’s health,” Mr Seeney wrote.

“It’s a struggle to get men suffering from pelvic floor and prostate issues to not feel self conscious about using these vital products as it is without you posting this rubbish.”

Collingwood supporters also expressed their disappointment with Swan’s social media post, describing it as “absolute imbecile stuff”.

I miss the good old days when you could admire a footballer's career, see them win a Brownlow and flag for your favourite team, but didn't get to see them tweet absolute imbecile stuff post retirement. Sad

— Lenny Phillips (@lenphil29) January 4, 2023

Swan’s only reply amid the social media storm was to his Swanny and Friends podcast co-host Ralph Horowitz, who had said the podcast had “herd immunity” from getting cancelled.

“Don’t be so sure, Ralph, that is my New Year’s resolution,” Swan wrote.

Swan was on Wednesday announced as the star guest player for a small club on the South Australian Limestone Coast.

He will play for Nangwarry in round one of the 2023 season. His controversial manager Ricky Nixon has revealed Swan has also agreed to two other one-off games with clubs yet to be named.

Originally published as Former AFL star criticised for bizarre social media tweet