COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse gave Brownlow medallist Dane Swan a second chance at football.

Malthouse said his 27-year-old midfielder's triumph in Monday night's Brownlow medal count was a "good story" after Swan's career was at the crossroads eight years ago.  

"Absolutely [he's deserving]. Has there ever been a Brownlow medallist that hasn't deserved it?" Malthouse said.

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"We had a chat a few years ago and maybe things straightened up a little bit and Dane took it board and I think this is just an indicator of his capabilities.

"There were a couple of things and it's been pretty well documented. You don't have to reinvent the wheel when you talk to a young player about straightening up and perhaps focusing more on what he wants to achieve.

"Life is about second chances, and I know the threat was real but it was on safe ground because we knew that Dane loved football, loved his family and would do things that would make his family proud."

Swan's commitment was questioned in his early years at Collingwood after his drafting in the 2001 AFL Draft (selection No.58), with his off-field life often surpassing his on-field ability.

But Malthouse said the way Swan turned his life around was a testament to him, and has been reflected in his remarkable durability over the past two years.

"We're just so rapt for him, I know the players will be and I know the coaches will be, and I am certainly," he said.

Swan played every game bar one this season; the Pies' round 12 win over Melbourne after taking a two-week trip to Arizona with Darren Jolly, Brent Macaffer and Nathan Brown to help overcome a niggling quad injury.

He said the trip had worked wonders after trusting club sports science director David Buttifant's assurance that the program would be in his best interest.

The success of the trip was reflected on Monday night where he polled votes in nine out of 11 games after he returned.

"[Buttifant] said, 'You'll be flying when all the other midfielders are starting to tire'," Swan said.

"My only prerequisite was that I flew business, I wasn't flying up the back, and I was lucky enough to get business, and I got over there and it was sunny and hot and we had the sun in our back.

"We got away from the intensity that surrounds football in Melbourne, we were unknowns over there and we trained really hard, had a great time and the four of us got pretty close.

"I watched the Melbourne game and I started to get the passion back for footy and I started to miss footy again, which probably dropped off when I got a little hurt and thought it was getting a little hard.

"It got the fire back in my belly."

Swan admitted being "drained" last year by his heavy favouritism for the award that culminated in him being paraded on stage before last year's count as the front-runner to claim the medal.

He said he was able to enjoy Monday's event much more, as he expected teammate Scott Pendlebury to poll more votes, and in his understated way, had simply "come for a feed".

As the newly crowned Brownlow medallist, Swan also didn't expect the new title to change him, or hamper him leading into Saturday's Grand Final against Geelong.

"This kind of thing won't affect me too much. I'm pretty good like that," he said.

"I'll just enjoy the night, my Mum and Dad came in and I won't celebrate it but I'll certainly say hello and enjoy the moment.

"But we'll go down the Sea Baths tomorrow and we'll have to get in the freezing cold water and I'm sure that just because I'm a Brownlow medallist they're not going to let me not do it.

"I'll be treated just the same and that's the way it should be."

After all, Swan is the type of person who "only does things I enjoy", values his family, friends and "having a laugh and good time" as most important in life, and remains close to his northern suburbs roots.

"I'm just someone who probably hasn't forgotten where they've come from," he said.

"I'm just a normal dude who plays footy."