COLLINGWOOD champion Dane Swan has been made a life member of the club, adding yet another accolade to his stellar 258-game career. 

Swan was on hand at the Glasshouse on Tuesday night at the Magpies' annual general meeting to receive the honour, alongside fellow recipients and Collingwood greats Ray Shaw and Saverio Rocca. 

Wearing a baggy white t-shirt and a white Brooklyn Nets cap, Swan thanked the club for giving him the opportunity to fulfil his dream of playing AFL football. 

In his typical playful way, Swan revealed when he received the call from president Eddie McGuire he thought he may have done something wrong. 

However, he was serious when he thanked the club for their support.

"It's an incredible club. It truly is an honour and I want to thank the (Collingwood) board and Ed for recognising me," Swan said.

"To come to the club and see how special and powerful the club can be, to do what I want to do for the next stage of my career, it's definitely down to Collingwood and how powerful this great club is."

McGuire was buoyant when listing the achievements of the 2011 Brownlow medallist, jokingly saying that: "I knew at some stage I would be announcing Swanny got life!"

Swan won three Copeland trophies as the club's best and fairest player (2008, 2009 and 2010) and five consecutive All Australian selections between 2009-2013. 

"Swanny was one of the players of his generation. An incredible footballer," McGuire said. 

"But he didn't take himself too seriously. He was the game's loveable rogue and together, as a footballer and a figure, he was one of the most loved players of all time."

In typical deadpan style, Swan said he was honoured by McGuire's sentiments.

"It's great when people say nice things about you. Thanks for that Ed, I can employ you at home."

Rocca, the 1995 Copeland Trophy winner, booted 514 goals in 156 matches as a Magpie to sit fifth on Collingwood's all-time goal kicking table. 

He played a further 101 games for North Melbourne, where he kicked 234 more goals, finishing his career with 748 majors from 257 games.

"Sav was a remarkable footballer. He averaged more than three goals a game and could kick them from just about anywhere," McGuire said. 

"With Sav in the goal square, there was always great theatre in the game and the opposition were always nervous about what he could do." 

Sav Rocca's distinctive goalkicking style was more than effective. Picture: AFL Photos

Fellow Copeland Trophy winner Ray Shaw captained the club in 1979 and 1980 and was named best-and-fairest in 1978.

Shaw played in five grand finals without tasting victory, but he took some comfort from his son Heath's contribution to Collingwood's 2010 premiership win.

"Among the great names in the history of Collingwood – the likes of Pannam, Richards, Collier, McHale and Coventry – sits the Shaw name," McGuire said. 

"Ray was quintessential Collingwood – proud, defiant, talented and cheeky. He played with great heart, he captained our club, got achingly close to premiership glory so many times and was the first of what became the Shaw dynasty."