Dane Swan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dane Swan |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Swan playing in a Collingwood intra-club match in 2015
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Dane Swan | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Original team | Calder Cannons (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 58, 2001 national draft | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
|
AFL
Collingwood
VFL
Representative
|
|||
Dane Swan (born 25 February 1984) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Swan was chosen with pick 58 in the 2001 AFL draft. He played his first game in June 2003.
Swan was known for getting a lot of the ball during games. He averaged almost 27 disposals per game in his career. He was a premiership player and won the Brownlow Medal. He also won the Leigh Matthews Trophy and was named an All-Australian five times.
After his football career, Swan was runner-up in the 2017 reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! on Network Ten.
Contents
Early Life and Junior Football
Dane Swan was born in Melbourne, Australia. His parents are Billy and Deidre Swan. His father, Billy Swan, was a very successful footballer. He played over 300 games in the VFA.
Dane grew up playing junior football for the Westmeadows Football Club. He also went to St. Bernard's College. Before joining the AFL, he played for the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. Some people thought he needed to work harder on his skills. However, Collingwood saw his potential and drafted him.
AFL Career Highlights
Dane Swan was drafted by the Collingwood Football Club in 2001. He made his debut in 2003 when he was 19. In his first four seasons, he played 30 games for Collingwood. He also played for Williamstown, Collingwood's VFL team, and was part of their 2003 premiership team.
In 2006, Swan started to play more regularly. He played 21 games and finished sixth in the Copeland Trophy voting. He often played in the midfield and sometimes moved forward to kick goals.
His breakout season was 2007. He finished fourth in the Copeland Trophy. He also surprised many by leading the Brownlow Medal count for much of the night, finishing sixth overall.
2008: A Strong Season
In 2008, Swan won the Copeland Trophy for Collingwood's best player. He averaged 25 disposals, 7 marks, and 3 tackles per game. He led the team in total disposals with 590. He had 14 games where he collected 25 or more possessions. In Round 10 against West Coast, he had 34 possessions and kicked two goals.
2009: Ball-Winning Machine
The 2009 season was amazing for Swan. He averaged 31.8 disposals per game. He was one of the best at winning the ball in the AFL. He was also great at getting the contested ball from stoppages.
In a game against Port Adelaide in Round 10, Swan had 48 possessions. This was one of the highest disposal counts ever recorded in a single match. He was ranked first in total kicks and total disposals in the AFL. He was also selected in the 2009 All-Australian team.
2010: Premiership Glory
Swan continued his excellent form in 2010. He averaged 31.8 disposals and set a new AFL record with 820 disposals for the season. On September 6, he won the Leigh Matthews Trophy, voted by the players as the league's most valuable player. He was also named ruck-rover in the 2010 All-Australian team.
His consistent play was key to Collingwood winning their fifteenth premiership. Swan finished third in the Brownlow Medal count. Later that year, he won the Jim Stynes Medal in the International Rules Series. He also became only the fourth Collingwood player to win three Copeland Trophies in a row.
2011: Brownlow Medal Winner
At the start of 2011, Swan signed a new three-year contract with Collingwood. He started the season strongly, getting 40 disposals in Round 2. After a quad injury, he went to a high-altitude training camp. This helped him recover quickly.
After returning, he averaged 35.3 disposals per game. He had a huge game against Essendon with 45 possessions. Later, he won the 2011 Brownlow Medal with 34 votes. This set a new record for the most votes under the 3-2-1 voting system.
2012: More Records and All-Australian
In 2012, Swan won his first Anzac Day Medal. He was named best on ground after a close win over Essendon, with 42 possessions and three goals. He missed two games due to a hamstring injury.
Despite missing four games, Swan averaged 35.7 disposals per game, a career high and an AFL record at the time. He had over 40 disposals in six different games. He finished fourth in the Brownlow Medal count. He was also named on the bench in the All-Australian team, his fourth selection.
2013: Fifth All-Australian Selection
Swan started 2013 strongly, averaging 30 possessions in the first three matches. In Round 4, he played his 200th AFL game against Richmond. He had 35 disposals and one goal.
By the end of the year, Swan averaged 31.2 disposals per game. He finished first in overall disposals in the AFL. He was selected as the ruck-rover in the 2013 All-Australian team. This was his fifth year in a row being included. Swan finished third in the Brownlow Medal with 26 votes.
2014-2015: Continued Strong Play
After wrist surgery, Swan started 2014 slowly. However, he quickly found his form. He had 35 disposals and 11 marks against North Melbourne. He also earned his second ANZAC Medal with 26 disposals and four goals against Essendon.
In 2015, Swan returned to excellent form. He averaged 29 disposals and one goal per game. He also reached the milestone of 250 games. Swan had 30 or more disposals in 11 games that year. He showed that he could still play at a high level even at 31 years old.
2016: Retirement from Football
In the first game of the 2016 season against Sydney, Swan suffered a serious foot injury. He broke three bones, including a Lisfranc injury. This injury meant he could not play for the rest of the season. In August 2016, Dane Swan announced his retirement from the AFL.
Career Statistics Summary
Dane Swan was a very productive player, especially later in his career. He led the AFL in total disposals four times and total kicks five times. When he retired, he had an average of 26.85 disposals per game. This was the second-highest average of all time, just behind Greg Williams.
Honours and Awards
Dane Swan achieved many great things during his football career:
- Team Awards:
* AFL Premiership (Collingwood): 2010 * McClelland Trophy (Collingwood): 2010, 2011 * NAB Cup (Collingwood): 2011
- Individual Awards:
* Brownlow Medal: 2011 * Copeland Trophy (Collingwood Best and Fairest): 2008, 2009, 2010 * Leigh Matthews Trophy: 2010 * All-Australian: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 * Herald Sun Player of the Year: 2009, 2010 * AFLCA Champion Player of the Year: 2010 * Lou Richards Medal: 2010 * Jim Stynes Medal: 2010 * AFL ANZAC Medal: 2012, 2014 * AFL Hall Of Fame: Inducted 2024
Personal Life
Dane Swan has been with his girlfriend, Taylor Wilson, since 2010. They announced in November 2020 that they were expecting a child. Their son, Tate, was born on 13 February 2021.
