Dane Swan

He is a direct descendant of Thomas Flanagan, an Irish convict transported to Australia in 1849.

His father Billy Swan was a highly decorated footballer in the VFA, winning the J. J. Liston Trophy twice and playing a competition record 302 games with Port Melbourne and Williamstown from 1976 to 1993.

He grew up playing junior football for the Westmeadows Football Club in the Essendon District Football League, and attended St. Bernard's College in Essendon before playing his under-18 football with the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.

Swan's performances at the Calder Cannons were ordinary and he was perceived by some recruiters to be a larrikin with questionable kicking accuracy and work ethic; however, showed an interest in him as a potential late maturer in the mould of his father.

Dane Swan (born 25 February 1984) is a former elite professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

It was a record since the length of game quarters was shortened from 25 minutes to 20 minutes in 1994, until surpassed in round 22, 2011 by 's Scott Thompson (51 disposals).

He was ranked third for total inside-50s, fourth in total goal assists, first in total kicks, fourteenth in total handballs, first in total disposals, tenth in total marks, fifth in inside-50s per game, thirteenth in goal assists per game, second in kicks per game, second in disposals per game.

He was voted runner-up at the AFLPA MVP awards (polling 584 votes), finishing behind Gary Ablett (688).

He was regarded as one of the front-runners for the Brownlow Medal, but finished outside the top ten.

Swan was drafted with pick 58 in the 2001 AFL draft, and made his debut in Round 13, 2003 against the.

Known as a prolific ball-winner, Swan averaged almost 27 disposals per game over his career.

Swan was a premiership player, a Brownlow Medallist, a three-time Copeland Trophy recipient, a Leigh Matthews Trophy recipient, and a five-time All-Australian.

Swan was recruited by the Collingwood Football Club with pick 58 in the 2001 AFL draft.

He made his debut in June 2003 at the age of 19, though he only played three games (against the, and ).

Swan managed just 30 games in his first four seasons in the system at Collingwood, and although he played some solid football in that time, he was not regarded as outstanding.

He played much of this time with Williamstown, which was then Collingwood's, and he was a member of its 2003 premiership team.

In 2006, he broke through, playing 21 games and finished sixth in the Copeland Trophy voting.

Swan mainly rotated through the midfield and moved forward when required.

His first nine weeks were productive, averaging nearly 26 disposals and kicked 15 goals, before a hamstring injury suffered against in round ten sidelined him until round thirteen.

2007 was considered his breakout season as he placed fourth in the Copeland Trophy and was a surprise packet at the Brownlow, leading for most of the night before finishing sixth with 20 votes.

The 2008 Copeland Trophy winner had a strong year averaging twenty-five disposals, seven marks, three tackles and one goal a game.

Swan led the team in total disposals (590) and kicks (368), second in marks (163), and third in handballs (222) and tackles (75).

He had 14 games of 25 possessions or more and kicked two or more goals on six occasions.

Round 10 against was one of Swan's best, collecting 34 possessions, 10 marks and two goals.

In round 14 against, he had 30 touches and 13 marks.

In the 2009 season, Swan averaged 31.8 disposals, 7.8 marks, 3.0 tackles and 5.4 inside-50s per game.

He was one of the AFL's most prolific ball winners, along with being an in-and-under specialist winning the contested ball at most stoppages whilst also running hard.

In Collingwood's 2009 round 10 clash against, Swan obtained 48 possessions, 22 kicks and 26 handballs.

This was the best disposal count in a decade and was then the third-highest-recorded disposals count in one match, behind Greg Williams' 53 and Tony Shaw's 50.

Swan was selected in the 2009 All-Australian team, but controversially as a half forward flanker, rather than as a midfielder, which is his usual position.

Swan averaged 31.8 disposals, including 19 kicks per game, totalling a then AFL record 820 disposals for the season.

On 6 September, Swan won the AFL Players Association MVP Award (Leigh Matthews Trophy) after a vote by the players.

That year he was also elected as the ruck-rover for the All-Australian team.

His consistent season was a cornerstone to Collingwood's fifteenth premiership, to the point of having his tattoos referenced on the Herald Sun premiership poster.

Swan finished third in the Brownlow Medal count, having started favourite.

On 31 October in the International Rules Series he won the Jim Stynes Medal.

At the conclusion of the season, Swan became only the fourth-ever Collingwood player to win three consecutive Copeland Trophies.

With Swan's contract at Collingwood due to expire at the end of 2011, there was much pre-season media speculation over a possible move to new AFL club.

Swan was notably runner-up in the 2017 reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, on Network Ten.

Swan was born in Melbourne to Billy and Deidre Swan.