Dane Swan in elite company as Collingwood champ retires from AFL

HE might come across as nonchalant about his place in the game. But don’t be fooled. Deep down Dane Swan knows and appreciates his lofty status, writes Glenn McFarlane.

Dane Swan with his 2011 Brownlow Medal.

DANE Swan isn’t simply a modern Collingwood great; the man who bowed out of football today — ink and all — fittingly sits in the pantheon of all-time Magpie champions across almost 125 seasons.

The 32-year-old might come across as nonchalant, almost blase about his place in the game. But don’t be fooled. Deep down this working class kid from Westmeadows knows and appreciates his lofty status, both within and outside the boundaries of the Holden Centre.

PRESS CONFERENCE: SWANNY BOWS OUT

ONE OF A KIND: SWANNY’S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS

If anyone needed a reminder of this, take a look at how he responded to the doomsayers after his self-confessed “putrid” 2014 season, and the way he silenced those doubters with a massive comeback last year that saw him finish runner-up in the Copeland Trophy.

Sadly, his 258-game career in black and white effectively ended within minutes of Collingwood’s 2016 season starting, albeit today’s press conference is the closing full stop on a remarkable journey.

Dane Swan may have a blase nature, but he’s proud of his status in the game, writes Glenn McFarlane. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

But, as he said in an email to Magpie members, “In a way I will never leave Collingwood because I know Collingwood will never leave me.”

Leaving aside his first 50 or so games when he initially struggled to make his mark, earning that famous last warning from Mick Malthouse, ‘Swanny’ has been a star. And he was able to do it without necessarily conforming to the 24/7 nature of the modern game.

He still managed to have a life outside the AFL world, and that’s what endeared him to Collingwood supporters, and lovers of the ‘game’, as it was for him.

In so many ways, Swan looked a player cast from another generation and thrust into the modern, athletic era. But he not only survived, he thrived ... and kept thriving.

And he had an impact on all those who crossed his path, from his ‘Rat Pack’ mates such as Ben Johnson, Alan Didak and Heath Shaw, even to Adam Treloar who shared the AFL field with him for only a few minutes.

Swan and Alan Didak after the Pies’ 2010 premiership win.

Only five men in the history of the club have won three consecutive Copeland Trophies — once joked about by a Collingwood president as being just as, if not more, important than the Brownlow Medal — Phonse Kyne (1946-48), Bob Rose (1951-53), Buckley (1998-2000), Swan (2008-10) and Pendlebury (2013-15).

Of those five Collingwood champions, only two won Brownlow Medals — Buckley and Swan — though Pendlebury still has time to change all that.

Swan was the club’s ninth Brownlow Medallist in 2011, polling 34 votes (the most under the current voting system) with the umpires giving him the nod in 14 games — the equal most polled games of any winner of the award.

He sits eighth on the club’s all-time games list behind Tony Shaw, Gordon Coventry, Wayne Richardson, Len Thompson, Scott Burns, Jock McHale and Buckley.

Injury cut short Swan’s career. Picture. Phil Hillyard

If injury hadn’t rudely intervened on March 26, he might well be outright third now.

Instead, his career ends with 258 games, almost 7000 disposals, 211 goals, an average of 26.85 disposals per game, 186 Brownlow Medal votes (the most of any Collingwood player), and, yes, seven hit-outs.

Three players have towered over Collingwood’s past 20 years — Buckley, Swan and Pendlebury. Bucks is already in the AFL Hall of Fame, and it seems almost a given that the other two will be elevated in the years after their playing careers.

Can’t wait for ‘Swanny’s’ acceptance speech when that finally happens. Like everything he has done in his career, he will do it in his own unique way.