Sport
11 June, 2026
Ex-AFL star to lift Charlton's spirit
EXCITEMENT is building at Charlton for the appearance of former AFL star Dane Swan with the Navy Blues against Boort on Saturday.
EXCITEMENT is building at Charlton for the appearance of former AFL star Dane Swan with the Navy Blues against Boort on Saturday.
Club president Shane Fitzpatrick said the Collingwood premiership player and 2011 Brownlow Medal winner would help to attract a crowd significantly larger than the Navies usually drew at home.
Swan is not available to train with the players tomorrow night but will come to Charlton on Friday and meet the players pre-match on Saturday, with the colourful ex-Magpie to be at the ground from the juniors onwards.
It comes as the appearance of superstar Gary Ablett junior and Geelong premiership player Gary Rohan in the neighbouring Loddon Valley league next week has caused controversy.
Bridgewater, for which Rohan is scheduled to play, is upset that it will have to use seven of its player-points allocation of 44 on the former AFL goalkicker, while Ablett will only cost Newbridge, his team for next Saturday, two points of their cap of 46.
The Mean Machine has applied to AFL Victoria for special consideration, concerned that the club will have to drop several key players to fit under the cap if Rohan takes the field.
Fitzpatrick said Swan would create no such problems, with a points allocation of four expected, the same he has attracted in other suburban and country league appearances around Australia.
“We are usually eight to 10 points short of the cap, so there’s no worries there.”
In its most recent match, Charlton’s players totalled 38 points of the maximum 46 allowed.
The president said there was great excitement around the club and among the players in advance of Swan’s arrival.
While he acknowledged that one elite player wouldn’t necessarily be the difference between winning and losing, Fizpatrick said Swan’s appearance would “give the rest of the players a bit of a lift”.
The winless Navies have struggled to be competitive this season, with six losses, all by more than 100 points.
“He’s 42, but he’s kept himself fit and still plays a game here and there,” Fitzpatrick said.
“(Coach) Carl (Thiesz) can try as much as he likes to put him where he wants him to be, but I reckon Dane will be going where he wants to go.
“I’d say he would probably go through the midfield - we won’t play him at full-back!
“Hopefully he’ll snag a couple of goals up forward, too.”
Boort coach Andrew Rutley said his players were excited at the prospect of playing against Swan.
“It’s good for Charlton and good for the league to have someone of his stature, a champion footballer.”
Rutley has done his research and has a plan in mind.
“I’ve been looking at his recent stats and he has has a lot of rebound defensive 50 numbers,” he said.
“We will try to find the right match-up and exploit him the other way.”
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