Is Dane Swan the best player in the AFL? | Thebigtip

With an ability to win possession after possession and constantly drive the number one team in the AFL forward, Collingwood’s Dane Swan is fast becoming the most unstoppable and dangerous player in the league.

Moving into a stratosphere with other modern day miracles, such as on-ballers Chris Judd, Gary Ablett and Luke Hodge, Swan is finding an everyday niche to collect 30 disposals per contest as he leads the Magpies charge towards September.

In Saturday’s annihilation of Carlton, Swan racked up 31 possessions, eclipsing the 30+ mark for the eighth straight game and for the 13^th time this season.

In the games when Swan dominates with 30+ possessions, Collingwood are 12 wins and 1 draw, technically undefeated.

As the most benched player in the AFL, with Collingwood’s revolving interchange bench, Swan, who plays approximately 76% of game time, is forever fresh and pushing himself harder to each and every contest but also displaying an extra string to his bow with the skill to sneak forward and kick a goal.

Swan, who has had a scoring shot in all but two games this season, has kicked 14 goals this season, and the Magpies are 10-1 in games when Swan splits the middle of the big sticks.

Malcolm Blight referred to Swan during Saturday’s commentary as an “A+” player. And with Swan so comfortably ahead in the Herald-Sun Player of the Year voting, Swan will be very close to starting the 2010 Brownlow Medal count as the raging favourite.

The catalyst behind Collingwood winning 15 straight quarters between Port Adelaide, St.Kilda, Richmond and Carlton in the last four weeks, Swan may have pushed himself above all the other big name players when it comes to being the best.

But the recognition is still not universal.

Swan is arguably considered one of the top seven players in the league by most experts, but despite his current track record and the winning that has come with his fine form, the bigger names of Judd, Ablett, and Hodge are still getting the attention.

Yes, Judd, Ablett and Hodge are some of the finest footballers in the game today, all premiership players who have risen to the occasion on the games biggest stage, but based on current form, is Swan the best player in the AFL today?

And if Swan leads the Magpie army into song with a premiership cup in 2010, will Swan be regarded as the best player in the AFL by the experts who rate others higher at the moment?

Through 2010 Swan has proved that he should be considered as one of the modern day greats, his consistency and work ethic is unmatched, but for Swan to be showered with the accolades from greats of yesterday and experts of today, he needs that premiership cup.

And a Norm Smith medal wouldn’t hurt either.

To show how much Swan dominates, I’ll leave you with this one question, is there anyone who doesn’t have Swan as their captain in Supercoach?