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Dane Swan has perfectly dominated the AFL Hall of Fame ceremonial connected Tuesday nighttime arsenic helium was inducted to the exclusive club.
The 40-year-old is simply a premiership victor and a Brownlow medallist and a worthy entrant to the Hall of Fame.
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But his footy exploits were concisely overshadowed by 1 of the large performances astir apt ever seen astatine an awards night.
Normally a staid, respectful affair, the yearly ceremonial was wholly flipped connected its caput by the consecutive shooting erstwhile midfielder.
After Swan’s speech, co-host Gerard Whateley could lone utter “bit of enactment to beryllium done successful editing the replay” arsenic the country applauded Swan from the stage.
It each began with Swan detailing his absorption erstwhile the AFL came calling astir Tuesday’s honour.
“I s**t myself to beryllium honest,” Swan began.
“A fig I didn’t cognize called and I don’t reply numbers I don’t cognize due to the fact that they’re usually not bully news.
“He texted maine and said it’s (AFL Commission chairman) Richard Goyder from the AFL and I said ‘what’ve I done?’
“I didn’t ringing him back, I rang my manager (Liam Pickering) consecutive distant and asked ‘why person the AFL rung me?’
“It was bully of Pickers to person immoderate religion successful me, helium was similar ‘I’ve got nary thought but if you were successful existent heavy s**t (Goyder) wouldn’t person been calling you truthful I deliberation you’re each right’.
“I called him backmost and this (Hall of Fame induction) was it, it was the nicest telephone I’ve ever had from the AFL, that’s for sure.”
While Swan turned himself into a brilliant, ball-winning midfielder, helium acknowledges helium wasn’t overly committed to the origin arsenic helium was making his mode successful the sport.
He credited his begetter Billy Swan, a decorated footballer successful his ain right, arsenic being his biggest power and recalled a communicative from erstwhile helium was playing inferior footy.
“I was a s**thead arsenic a young kid,” helium said. “Dad was ne'er 1 to rant oregon rave. He fto the coaches coach.
“But 1 day, I astir apt wasn’t the astir ferocious footballer, I was beauteous lazy and dada was yelling astatine me.
“I’d had capable of it truthful I decided to beryllium down, transverse my legs, instrumentality my fingers successful my ears for a mates of minutes portion the crippled was going connected astir me.
“That’s the benignant of anserine mentality I had, but that’s however I was arsenic a kid unfortunately.”
A five-time All Australian and three-time champion and fairest implicit 258 games astatine Collingwood, Swan was besides renowned for his indiscretions distant from the footy field.
In a palmy epoch for the club, Swan was a subordinate of a radical of players infamously known arsenic the “Rat Pack”, which besides featured Heath Shaw, Ben Johnson and Chris Tarrant, who were each astatine the ceremony.
Early successful his career, Swan was convicted of affray and aboriginal sued for his portion successful a vicious brawl, portion helium besides had a fig of different run-ins with the Collingwood and AFL hierarchy implicit the years.
Whateley asked him erstwhile helium realised helium had to alteration his ways to marque a occurrence of his footy career.
“Yeah, erstwhile I got arrested,” helium fired back. “That was fun.
“I got drafted and moved consecutive retired of home, moved successful with my mate who’s present tonight.
“I thought playing AFL was each getting portion cards connected Saturday night. I gave nary effort, good I gave a batch of effort, it was each connected Saturday nights.
“I didn’t merit to beryllium connected an AFL list. Then I got successful a bluish and got successful occupation and thought I was going to beryllium sacked.
“Dad sat maine down and said ‘don’t proceed to beryllium connected the database if you don’t privation to be, if you deliberation it’s what we privation you to do’.
“(Coach) Mick (Malthouse) said ‘prove to maine you beryllium here’ and I started repaying immoderate of the faith.
“It didn’t enactment maine connected the close path, it enactment maine connected a righter path.
“I’ve got nary thought wherefore they kept me. I was similar a cockroach, they couldn’t termination me.
“My aged antheral said I got amended each year, got much games, got much confident.
“Mick threw maine successful the midfield and distant we went.”
Swan went connected to quip that helium “has to say” his 3 children are the champion things successful his life, earlier going connected to convey his mates successful the Rat Pack.
“Those 3 oregon 4 years erstwhile you’re with your champion mates, the Rat Pack, who are present today, it felt similar it went for six months,” helium said.
“Biggest nine successful the country, I was playing OK, we played hard, we partied hard, we had a large time. We hardly lost.
“I cherish those memories.”
Swan was a cardinal portion of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership, erstwhile the Pies fought retired a gully with St Kilda earlier winning the replay the pursuing week.
He peculiarly enjoys the yearly reunion of that flag, which takes spot connected the archetypal Saturday successful December, and helium had the assemblage successful stitches with a subtle remark astir however agelong the celebrations tin last.
“Same jokes get told, aforesaid radical get picked on, you permission that luncheon a time oregon 2 aboriginal and deliberation however fortunate americium I to triumph a premiership,” helium said with a grin.
“If the shot bounces the different mode and St Kilda triumph it, we’re portion of the ‘Colliwobbles’ I guess.”
Pick 58 successful the 2001 draft, Swan couldn’t defy a excavation astatine the Magpies, stating: “Collingwood, I cognize I’m not successful your Hall of Fame, truthful I cognize you don’t complaint maine arsenic highly arsenic the AFL.
“But they cognize I tin beryllium bribed and bought beauteous easy truthful they bought a array for my mates contiguous truthful we’re square.”
And helium signed disconnected with 1 past classical enactment erstwhile thanking his spouse Tanya Wilson.
“I’m not a cunning linguist,” helium said to the packed location astatine the Centrepiece venue successful Melbourne Park.
“Lucky I got that out, that could’ve been dangerous.
“Without you I don’t cognize wherever I’d be. I emotion you so, truthful much.
“Please retrieve these benignant words erstwhile I’m refusing to travel to furniture successful astir 10 hours and I won’t footwear anyone retired of the afterparty.”
English (US) ·