CTV > Dane Swan speaks to CTV after accepting his award Dane Swan’s first E.W. Copeland Trophy is a reward for outstanding midfield leadership and improved consistency.
"I feel very honored to win the award," Swan told Collingwoodfc.com.au.
"It means so much to me that this award comes from the coaches.
"I enjoyed my level of consistency that I had all year and the work that I put into that was immense."
Swan received 53 votes on the night, six more than R. T. Rush Trophy (second place) winner Paul Medhurst.
Swan jumped out of the gates early polling six votes in his first two games.
Round one featured a 27 disposal performance against Fremantle including eight contested possessions and seven tackles. The next week the 25-year-old had 28 possessions, six marks and one goal in a two-point loss to Brisbane.
At the half-way point of the regular season, Swan was six votes behind Medhurst and needed to play a game of catch-up if he was any chance to win the Trophy.
Round 10 against West Coast, Swan received three votes in a season-high 36 touch performance including 12 contested possessions and five centre clearances.
The 58th overall pick in the 2001 draft never took his foot off the pedal for the entire season averaging 25 disposals a game, eight contested possessions and seven marks.
He finished the year (including finals) 10th in the league in total disposals.
A win against Sydney at Telstra Stadium was crucial to keeping the Magpies’ finals hopes alive. Swan was prolific all night finishing with 30 disposals 13 marks and used the ball with 89% efficiency.
After round 19, Swan drew level with Medhurst on 20 votes off the back of a 25 possession (20 kicks) three goal win against St Kilda. It was a game that showed the AFL world that the Magpies were not to be discounted.
That game propelled Swan on a torrid streak of polling 11 votes in his final six games. He averaged 24 possessions and two goals during that patch and was arguably a key factor in Collingwood’s third successive trip to the finals.
Similar to 2007 when Travis Cloke won the Copeland Trophy and the Bob Rose Award (best finals player), Swan’s play in the finals went to another level. Over in AAMI Stadium, Swan was in rare form touching the Sherrin 27 times and kicking two majors.
The next week in the semi-final against St Kilda, Swan never stopped running and led the team with 23 possessions and a game-high nine inside 50s in the final game of the season.
Swan chalked up his 100th game in the loss against the Saints after his sixth year playing at the senior level.
“It's an exciting time where the club is at and with all of the youth coming through" Swan said.
A player who started out his career with the club from the back-line, Swan has developed into an elite midfielder of the AFL and will be an important part of the team’s success in the future.
“I look forward to what lies ahead for the club. Success is something I strive for on the field and that’s how I go about my game when I play.”
