COLLINGWOOD great Dane Swan believes AFL clubs are too overbearing in the way they run their football programs.

The 2011 Brownlow medallist spent 15 years at the elite level, but maintains he would have been no worse off with six contact hours per week as opposed to 40.

In an exclusive question and answer session with foxfooty.com.au, Swan opened up on his frustrations with the modern sporting landscape, his sadness for the modern day footballer, plus the worst thing about being an elite player.

Tom Morris: Thanks for chatting to us, Dane. If you could change the game to make it a better spectacle, what would you do?

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Dane Swan: The rotations helped my game a huge amount. I don’t want to turn the game into netball with zones and things like that. The game will naturally evolve and coaches will always find ways to make the game ugly because defence wins matches obviously. But I’m a retired player so I don’t really care anymore to be honest.

TM: Well if you don’t really care that much, what would’ve been your ideal week at a footy club?

DS: I wouldn’t be there except for game day. In all seriousness, I would hardly be at the club, except for when I’d get a massage on a Monday morning. Being there gives you structure and a reason to not just do what you want, but I might e there a couple of hours, three days per week. I’d go in and have a light kick on the Wednesday and the Friday — so long as the weather is warm. If it’s cold, see you later.

TM: What about when it’s hot and sunny in the pre-season?

DS: I get it during the summer. You do all of your work in the pre-season, so you have to be at the club more. But during the year it’s just about recovery anyway. If you ask some people, they say we don’t do enough training. But I’m firmly in the camp of players do too much. Some clubs keep the boys there just for the sake of keeping them there.

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TM: OK, so without training and meetings all day, what would you have been doing if you weren’t at the club?

DS: Just at home mentally relaxing and getting away from it all. Not in at the club doing cross-training — all of that.

TM: How much did this structure frustrate you?

DS: Yeah of course it frustrated me a lot during my career. Getting in and getting your work done was fine, but staying around because we had to was pointless, I thought. As the years went on, it just cranked up more.

TM: Clearly the game has become more professional over the years. How was it when you first arrived at the Magpies?

DS: It was so different back in 2002. Now everyone is monitored and you can’t take three steps without people knowing it. You have certain hours you have to do and tick off at the club. You have to see this coach for that and it’s becoming an enormous strain on the boys. It’s just the way the game is.

TM: How much of this change is media-related?

DS: There is this thing called social media these days which makes it a lot worse. Every club needs every player marching to the same beat and giving the same message to the sponsors and supporters. The money is a lot bigger than when I first started, so that obviously weighs in. People have to do what they do if they want to get paid. I can understand it, but I certainly don’t agree with it.

TM: How much has the personality gone out of the game?

DS: Absolutely. It’s too far. Clubs have to worry about $1 million sponsorships. It’s a real shame. The personalities usually come out after they’ve played 150 or 200 games and are comfortable in their own skin. They know they are trusted and will play — that’s when you see the real personalities.

Dane Swan’s book. Source: FOX SPORTS

TM: What about the new draftees? How can they be expected to have flamboyant personalities?

DS: Coming in from Under 18s, they are all monotonous and robots and do whatever they get told. It’s disappointing that the kids don’t have the ability to have their personalities shine, instead of saying the same boring thing that everyone else says. They all have welfare managers that groom them to be AFL footballers and say what everyone else is saying. When I first started we had none of that at Under 18 level or AFL level. It was sink or swim.

TM: Do you feel sorry for them?

DS: Good question. From a social media aspect I do. They aren’t going to live life like normal 18-year-old’s ever again. But they are getting paid more than I was in my first year. Someone said to me that you get paid 10 per cent for your football and 90 per cent for the other s — t you have to put up with. I can kind of understand that.

TM: Do you agree with the WADA Code that stipulates clubs must document where its players are 365 days of the year?

DS: That’s the WADA code they’ve signed up to so I don’t have a problem with it. Sometimes it is hard when you are going travelling on your own when you don’t really have any plans. That can be a little bit tricky because some boys just like to travel for six weeks and not really know where they are going. Apart from that, the WADA code’s something that I believe in. Performance-enhancing drugs should be stamped out. If that’s what it takes, then so be it.

TM: Do you think performance-enhancing drugs have existed in your time playing the game.

DS: No, never. I would be staggered if anyone ever did it. Sometimes people can’t wrap their head around the fact that performance-enhancing drugs and illicit recreational drugs are two completely different things. That’s just people don’t really have a good understanding of it. I don’t really care much about them. They are two very different things and certainly shouldn’t be grouped together, but sometimes they are. There isn’t much that you can do about that. I won’t worry about trying to change their opinions or minds.

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TM: Did you have a punt on the Brownlow Medal in September?

DS: No, I am not allowed to until November 1 I think. It would have been a waste of money anyway because Patrick Dangerfield was a shoe-in. I’ve never been allowed to bet on footy. Next year I’ll have a bet though for sure.

TM: What sort of Collingwood supporter will you be in retirement?

DS: Not sure, but I will be able to gamble on it, which will be nice — I’ve never been allowed to. I’ll certainly invest some money at some stage.

TM: So what are your plans for 2016?

DS: I plan on doing a bit of travelling next year. Hopefully Ed invites me to the President’s lunch so I can have a nice meal and a few beers. I’m certainly a Pies supporter and I will try to get to a couple of games. I can’t see myself there every week so maybe just the big games.

Dane Swan: My Story is published by Hardie Grant Books $45 and is available in stores nationally.