Former Westmeadows junior Dane Swan is among three people inducted into the Collingwood Hall of Fame on Wednesday night.
The Pies celebrated Ross ‘Twiggy’ Dunne, Leigh Matthews and Dane Swan as the newest inductees to the illustrious group at a special event.
An all-time Collingwood fan favourite, Swan is one of the greatest midfielders to have played in the black and white.
He won a Brownlow Medal, three Copeland Trophies, five All-Australians, a premiership and countless other accolades throughout his 258-game career.
Swan’s laid-back and larrikin approach to the game, combined with his influence across the field, made him loved by the Magpie Army.
The Magpies described him as a powerful midfielder who was dangerous around the contest and able to change a game when pushed forward, Swan became known for his elite work rate and running ability, breaking stoppages apart with his explosive speed.
A broken foot in the season opener of 2016 ended Swan’s career, but he will forever be remembered as one of the game’s great characters, who was an unconventional footballer and did everything in his own unique way.
Swan, with his classic sense of humour, thanked those most influential throughout his career.
“To the footy club, thank you very much,” he said on the night. “The club gave me a chance, well a lot of chances, and I appreciate it – I love this football club.
“Thank you to my friends and to the footy boys and everyone I played with, thank you for allowing me to be me and footy would not have nearly been as fun without you all.
“To all my coaches, you made me the player I was and thank you for letting me be me. And lastly, thank you to the volunteers and support staff, who looked after all of us and did everything that was needed to be done. I really appreciate all the support and to my buds on my table tonight, words don’t stress how much you made footy easier for me.”
