Dane Swan, 2011 Brownlow medallist and standout Collingwood footballer of his generation, has confessed he used to scour the AFL fixture to pick off temporary escape windows from the demands of his profession.
Forced into retirement by a foot injury he is still rehabilitating from, Swan told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that watching frank admissions in a club-produced film that tracks his last season left him slightly uneasy. But the 32-year-old champion, travelling abroad next week after a farewell Magpies best-and-fairest function on Friday, almost immediately reconciled what feels like newfound freedom given his retired player status.
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Plays of the 2016 AFL grand final
Wood makes his opposite number earn it, Picken gets the Doggies out to a handy lead, Swan Kennedy drags his side back into the contest, Morris tackles before Boyd finishes as a 62-year premiership drought ends.
"Talking about the benders was a bit awkward," said Swan, who admits he surrendered editorial control and did not see the finished film until the first screening.
"I'd forgotten what I'd talked about, obviously talking about things all year, but in the end I wanted to be honest and that was honest.
"It was all true. I didn't make anything up. It was all honest. And it was also good to see other people, I guess, talk about me… kind words about me. I'm not sure if 'enjoy' is the right word, but I'm glad I've seen it. I felt pretty uneasy and awkward listening to myself talk but I'm really rapt I did it."
Among Swan's many candid reflections in the film is his description of how he historically planned times during seasons to binge drink.
He explains how he'd identify numerous spots in Collingwood's playing schedule where he could let loose. Swan chose weekends, he says in the film, where he felt: "I can just drink as much as I can and then you just have a bender".
That pattern, to his surprise, actually changed this year due to what turned out to be a career-ending injury.
"When you're not playing you don't have to look at a calendar," Swan says in the film.
"As a general rule this year I haven't been playing footy, I haven't been going on heaps of benders. It's just been a lot more time with friends and family, and doing it over the whole weekend instead of just going as hard as I can for as long as I can and then sleeping for two days."
Asked on Wednesday, before Collingwood launched the documentary on the club website on Thursday, whether he would have included the revealing insight about his binge boozing, Swan said: "Yeah because I've retired now so I know I can't get in trouble. I can't get sacked from the footy club now."
He told Fairfax that while it's in some ways regretful he felt such strong urges – when fit in footy season - to let off steam through drinking, he doesn't think his more balanced experience while injured is possible in modern football.
As a general rule this year I haven't been playing footy, I haven't been going on heaps of benders. It's just been a lot more time with friends and family, and doing it over the whole weekend instead of just going as hard as I can for as long as I can and then sleeping for two days
"Not really, because of how big the business is, and with the media with alcohol and stuff like that. If you had a couple of bottles of wine on a Thursday night and you were playing Saturday and someone took a photo you'd be shot.
"But it's just the way it is. You have to get your body so right during the year you can't afford to. That's why you look for those five or six moments during the season where you can pencil them in then obviously you have a go.
"This year I could go out for dinner and drinks on a Thursday, Saturday, Sunday lunch and I'd probably drink maybe the same, but it's over the course of four days and you're home by midnight and you're waking up fresh."
Swan wasn't entirely sold on the concept of committing to being trailed by a camera in what turned out to be his final year as AFL player. But he agreed before round one in what was the 258th and last game of his decorated career.
Produced by Collingwood staffer Brayden Cocks the film shows a side of Swan rarely seen by the public. This is captured best in footage of the midfielder rehabilitating solo in the Magpies' gym. The trademark Swan smirk is nowhere to be seen. Rather, the pictures show a man seriously giving his all to fast track recovery.
Swan's quest, to that end, was unsuccessful and he announced his retirement six weeks ago. Last week, he had screws removed from his damaged right foot which is now bandaged and swollen again. Swan said on Wednesday he hopes to be able to wear shoes next week but for now is limited to thongs or a protective boot. He maintains a dream of being able to play recreational footy some day with mates.
Two close friends and ex-teammates, Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson, feature heavily in the Swan film and give the impression it's a miracle he played 14 seasons with a lust for life off-field not always complementary.
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