Swan gets roasted by old AFL teammate

Collingwood milestone man Dane Swan has received an irreverent tribute from former teammate and rat pack colleague Heath Shaw.

Prior to moving to Sydney, Giants defender Shaw spent nine seasons alongside 2011 Brownlow Medallist Swan, who was listed to make his 250th appearance on Thursday against Port Adelaide.

“He’s got amazing staying ability `Swanny’, he’s one of the worst trainers I’ve ever seen,” Shaw said on Thursday.

“That’s probably why he’s played 250 games because he doesn’t work too hard during the week.

“But he’s an amazing player and the way he’s gone about it, he’s probably gone the opposite way to most people who have won Brownlow Medals.

“But he’s done it in his own way and he he hasn’t changed the way he is and that’s why everyone loves him.

“You would think that to get to 250 games you have to be pretty precise in rehab and training and getting your body right.

“Swanny just floats, he’s a really good floater.

“You probably wouldn’t want to follow his training standards and work ethic but he’s done it his way and that’s what gets him right for games.

“He doesn’t dwell on things too much, he won’t be studying too many opposition tapes.

“But when he gets out on the ground, and if it’s a big game, a big situation, there’s no one better to have on your team.”

Shaw felt Swan’s laid back attitude helped the champion midfielder cope with the “full on business” of being an AFL player.

“If you get too obsessed with football, then it does take it out of you,” Shaw said.

“Sometimes you get to the end of the season and your body is shot and your mind is absolutely shot so you have to have a release from football.

“I think Swanny is the other way, his release is playing football.”

Shaw’s cheeky take on Swan extended to joking about his own career, which presently stands at 204 senior games.

“Kevin Bartlett’s record (403 games) or Dustin Fletcher’s record (400) (is) in my grasp I reckon,” 29-year-old Shaw quipped.

He kept them coming when asked how much longer he was contracted for, which is actually another three seasons.

“They gave me that many years, I can’t even remember how many it was,” Shaw said.

He wasn’t sure if he could keep playing to 34, the age his elder brother and Sydney Swans star Rhyce is just a few months from reaching.

“But I’ll have a crack at it. I’ll just talk to `Gubby'(Giants football manager Graeme Allan) and he’ll give me another couple of years,” Shaw joked.

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