Swan wins MVP award
09/06/2010 07:44:15 PM
Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan has been voted by his peers as the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player for 2010.
Swan personally accepted the award at a gala dinner at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium held on Monday night, winning the accolade with 972 votes ahead of Luke Hodge in second (603 votes), Gary Ablett third (562), Aaron Sandilands fourth (279) and Joel Selwood (166) to complete the top five.
Swan played all 22 matches in 2010, gathering an average of 31.9 disposals a game including a record 11-straight matches where he picked up 30 disposals or more.
Swan also became the first Collingwood player to win the MVP Award since Darren Milane in 1990.
"It is very humbling and a great honour to win this award voted by my fellow players," Swan said after the event.
"The respect that the players have for this award is enormous and as the only player voted awards it is one of the highest honours you can receive in this game."
In other awards, Luke Hodge won the Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award, Michael Barlow took out the Best First Year Player Award while inspirational Sydney Swans skipper Brett Kirk was voted the competition’s Best Captain.