DANE Swan's stocky frame is deceptive according to former Richmond best and fairest Matthew Richardson, who rates him as one of the game's best athletes.

Richardson analysed Swan in this week's edition of The Whiteboard.

"He's not a lean looking athlete but he certainly knows how to cover the ground. I reckon Dane Swan uses his speed and endurance just about as well as any player in the competition," Richardson said.

"He plays in bursts, then comes off the ground. He's really smart, he knows this is his strength. While he's out there he goes 100 per cent and keeps finding the football."

Swan is not a noted trainer, making his aversion to grueling pre-season training sessions widely known.

But Richardson says Swan's laconic off-field demeanour, much like his bulk, can be misleading.

"I know for a fact that Dane smashes himself in Collingwood's altitude room during the week, every week. He loves that part of his training," he said.

"He mightn't love getting out on the track as much but he certainly does train hard in the altitude room."

Richardson said Swan had proved himself to be an intelligent footballer, using his time off the ground to his advantage.

"When he does come off he normally comes off for about 90 seconds but on this particular day we got the timer out and he came off for 24 seconds. I reckon it helps him get rid of his tag," he said.

"He's a smart footballer, he doesn't waste energy because he always gets to the right spots. It helps that Collingwood's game plan has been established for a long time. They're a good team so you can run into space with confidence and it helps him accumulate the numbers he does."