Mick Malthouse on Dane Swan and the Collingwood Rat Pack

After Dane Swan pleaded guilty to affray, Mick Malthouse urged the Collingwood larrikin to make a big change in his life. Now, he’s lifted the lid on that moment and the flags that could have been.

Collingwood president Eddie Maguire and coach Mick Malthouse

Mick Malthouse has defended his “Rat Pack” of Collingwood stars, saying the Pies would have strongly contended for multiple Grand Finals if they had stayed together past 2011.

The Collingwood coach left the club and ultimately moved to Carlton in 2013, with that pack of players all moving on in subsequent years.

Hall of Famer Malthouse revealed to the Sacked podcast his “one-suburb rule”, forcing the troublesome Dane Swan to move away from his childhood mates in Westmeadows to knuckle down.

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Sacked podcast: Mick Malthouse reveals never before heard details about his Collingwood sacking

“And he moved two, so that was a big move,” quipped Malthouse.

Heath Shaw was moved on after the 2013 elimination final, Ben Johnson (2013), Alan Didak (2013) and Chris Tarrant (2012) retired and Swan eventually had his career cut down after foot issues.
The Pies believed they needed cultural change given some off-field behaviours but Malthouse says he treated them as adults.

Mick Malthouse with Dane Swan.

“They played the footy that they wanted to play, and when they didn't there was a message," he said.

"You treat people as adults ... they generally give you an adult methodology, if you treat them as kids, they will play up on you,” he said.

“We not only won games, we won them pretty well and I thought we were pretty well set up for at least another crack. You can't guarantee Grand Finals, let alone premierships, but I reckon that side was ready to go for another couple.

“We are talking about the 'Rat Pack' so we are talking about Tarrant, he was out (of the club to Fremantle) and came back. This is one of the biggest transformations in the history of the world. He was very tough, he came back, then you have Benny Johnson, well he is just loveable.

"Alan Didak would do anything you wanted him to do, and he would try to.”

Johnson and Tarrant have since returned to work at the club as popular staff members.

Mick Malthouse has opened up on his relationship with Nathan Buckley

Swan pleaded guilty to affray after being part of an attack on a cleaner in Federation Square in 2003 but despite being one of footy’s larrikins consistently fired under Malthouse, and carried that form under Nathan Buckley's coaching career as well.

He used to joke that he had no mates at the club because the 'Rat Pack' had all been moved on.

“Swanny moved his two suburbs, I told him you have to move at least a suburb and he moved two," Malthouse said.

"I wanted him away from his rat heads, I said to him 'Move away from your rathead mates'. Rats don't move more than one suburb, so if you can move away? And he moved two, that was a big move.”

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In a revealing interview, the AFL’s coaching games record holder also detailed:

— the personal pain behind his decision to agree to the extraordinary handover deal — in 2009 — which almost destroyed the harmony of the club two years later;

— the stunning job description he says that not only changed, but would have reduced him to a “meet and greet” figurehead, banned from talking to the other coaches;

— the club forced him to sign a confidentiality agreement in the week leading up to the 2011 preliminary final, hiding the fact he was going to leave the club.

— how he was bluntly told to vacate his office without saying goodbye the morning after his final game as coach — the 2011 Grand Final loss to Geelong;

— the huge emotional toll that his four-club coaching career took on his wife, Nanette, and his four children.