DANE Swan’s Collingwood career would have ended after just three games had it not been for the intervention of Mick Malthouse.

The Magpies’ 2010 premiership captain Nick Maxwell revealed that Malthouse was responsible for keeping a teenage Swan at the club after he was involved in a drunken brawl at Federation Square in 2003.

UNIQUE: MICK’S UNBREAKABLE BOND WITH HIS BOYS

PLAYERS’ VIEW: THE DAY MICK ROASTED MAXY

The Collingwood board wanted to sack Swan, who has since gone on to play in a Collingwood premiership, win a Brownlow Medal and three Copeland Trophies over his 240-game career.

“He went into a meeting, and his belief was it was all over, he was getting sacked in that meeting,” Maxwell told SEN radio.

“It got to Mick, everyone had their crack at him, and he said. ‘I’m not going to turn my back on you, I’m going to give you an opportunity. I’m giving you a last chance’.”

Swan, Former Williamstown player Aaron Ramsay and former VFL player Kade Carey, the nephew of Kangaroos great Wayne Carey, were all charged after getting into a brawl with security guards. Swan was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to affray.