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Dane Swan's "excuses" for Collingwood's recent defeats
SEN • August 6th, 2025 7:02 pm
Collingwood have not got the wobbles; they’re just not giving away all their secrets before finals, according to Dane Swan who is still backing his old club to go all the way in 2025.
Craig McRae’s side have lost three out of their last four matches and come up against Hawthorn off a five-day turn around later this week before a trip to Adelaide in Round 23.
They remain second on the ladder, but with the oldest squad in the league and defeats at the hands of Freo, Brisbane and the Suns in recent weeks, questions have again been asked of whether they are truly flag contenders.
The former Brownlow Medallist has been retired for almost a decade but is still one of the club’s biggest backers, and he was happy to offer a few tongue-in-cheek reasons when asked about Collingwood’s recent run of results.
“That game on the weekend was finals intensity (against Brisbane),” Swan said on SEN when asked about the recent defeats.
“It’s the biggest game Gold Coast have ever had and Freo are fighting for their lives.
“We took the foot off the brake, I think they experimented a little bit in the games because they’re so far in front. Now they can go with plan B if plan A isn’t working.
“Brisbane, well do you want to show all your cards if you get them again in a final?
“They’ve been resting all the senior players and getting them fresh.”
While Collingwood’s form isn’t too worrying just yet for Swan, a loss to Hawthorn at the MCG this Thursday could send the panic meter into overdrive.
“In saying that, against Hawthorn it’s time to play all the best players and win,” Swan said.
“If I had to say what the panic meter is, it’s probably four, but if we get beaten by the Hawks then it doubles.
“No excuses this week they have to win. If they don’t win then it’s a mammoth task against the Crows, then the Dees.
“I wouldn’t panic, to all the Collingwood supporters out there, I think we get to a Prelim and then figure it out from there.”
The bounce for Thursday’s big game between the second-placed Pies and seventh-placed Hawks is set for 7:30 pm (AEST).
