- Dane Swan has earned a place in the Hall of Fame
- The football star is a Collingwood legend
- He was praised for his relaxed approach to the game.
Collingwood cult hero Dane Swan has been honored for his brilliant playing career with his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
But Collingwood was forced to apologize after revealing the surprise hours before the ceremony.
On a night that saw Hawthorn’s champion kicker Jason Dunstall officially elevated to Legend status, Swan was the fourth inductee at Tuesday’s gala event in Melbourne.
Also recognized were inaugural Adelaide Crows captain Chris McDermott, brilliant Footscray forward Kelvin Templeton and New South Wales pioneer Ralph Robertson.
Much loved by a legion of fans in the Magpie Army, Swan was a leader of Collingwood’s famous “rat pack” during their successful period under coaching legend Mick Malthouse and his successor Nathan Buckley.
Dane Swan has been inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame
The Collingwood legend received his award in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
Malthouse and Buckley, both Hall of Famers, were in attendance Tuesday night.
But football fans were aware of Swan’s praise hours before the announcement after a “technical error” caused Collingwood to issue a statement to the media, which was later shared online by a journalist.
In a follow-up statement titled: “Attention to all media regarding previous communications”, the club asked the media to ‘maintain embargo on communications recently issued in relation to the Australian Football Hall of Fame’.
“This will be announced on Fox Footy tonight after 9pm,” the club said.
“The club apologizes for this technical error.”
Swan was recognized alongside Chris McDermott (top left), Kelvin Templeton (front left), Jason Dunstall (centre) and Michael Graham (front right).
Swan was criticized at times for not looking like a professional athlete and sparked his share of controversy off the field, but he was a true competitive star on the field.
The prolific midfielder was a key contributor to the Magpies’ leadership in 2010 under Malthouse and won the Brownlow Medal the following season, with what was then a record 34 votes under the 3-2-1 system.
He was also an All-Australian in five consecutive seasons between 2009 and 2013 and won the Copeland Trophy, Collingwood’s best and fairest award, for three consecutive years between 2008 and 2010.
Swan’s brilliant 2010 campaign also included the AFL Players Association MVP award and the Jim Stynes Medal as Australia’s best player in the International Rules series against Ireland.
Swan, a close friend of Richmond superstar and future Hall of Famer Dustin Martin, retired in 2016 due to a serious foot injury after 258 games in black and white.
“Not only was he admired for his football intelligence and running ability, but the midfielder was also unstoppable throughout the competition with his strength and speed, proving to be an irresistible force,” Collingwood said in a statement.
‘Away from the statistics and his achievements, the Magpie Army will always admire Swan for his relaxed approach to football and life.
“He personified an earlier era when it was still possible to play football and enjoy life outside of it.”
