WITH the utmost respect, Dane Swan is a Fantasy pig. He’ll feast on points way beyond what would be deemed acceptable by others and once he’s full, he’ll go back for seconds.

He won’t stop at 100 or even 120, he’ll keep going and going. He scored over 130 points on eight occasions last year and did it with (figuratively) one wrist tied behind his back.

In 2013, Dane Swan played the majority of the season injured. After off-season wrist surgery, he says he's back on track.

“I’m pretty much ready to go now and the wrist is practically 100 per cent,” he told us when we caught up with him recently.

“I’ve been doing a lot of running in the off-season… it was the only thing I could do before Christmas and I now have the miles in my legs.”

This is awesome news for Fantasy coaches. A fit Dane Swan only means a bigger and better season ahead.

Also in his favour this year is that Swan is under-priced. Who would have thought? After averaging 118 last year, he’s priced at 16 points less than what he was in 2012, making him a bargain in 2014.

Ablett v Swan
Personally, this decision was pretty simple. But for those who don’t share the man-love I have for the great Swannie, let me try and convince you why you should go with the Magpie over the magical Gary Ablett.

Over the last three years, Swan has averaged 124.3 compared to Ablett’s average of 117.3. Over this period of time, Swan has scored 120 points or more in 49 per cent of his games where as Ablett has only achieved this feat in 43 per cent of his games.

Over these years and since arriving at the Gold Coast, Ablett’s best average is 125 compared to Swan who carries a best average of 134.

At the end of the day, I think this argument has been put to bed. But with that said, you’d certainly want to secure  both of these players in your team after the bye rounds. 

2014 crystal ball
Can we expect some big scores from Swan in 2014 and can he keep his status as the best AFL Fantasy player in the competition?

“I certainly hope so,” he reassured us. “I’m pretty comfortable in my pig pen. I reckon I can keep going with some piggish scores.”

What a swine. What a legend!

LOCKABILITY: 5/5
Swan is dead set lock. He’s a guy who you can back in week in and week out to get the job done.

His average of118 last year, is Swan’s lowest from his last five seasons. He isalso very durable only missing five games from a possible 154 home andaway matches over the last seven years.

He’s worth every penny because you can also make him your captain meaning 'you don’t just get one Dane Swan, you get two’.

THE TRADERS' PRE-SEASON AFL FANTASY SQUAD
30 players in 30 (or so) days. Here's our squad as it stands at this point of the pre-season.



Defenders
- Jeremy Laidler (Sydney Swans)
- Matthew Fuller (Western Bulldogs)
- Kade Kolodjashnij (Gold Coast)
- Matt Suckling (Hawthorn)
- David Swallow (Gold Coast)
- Kade Simpson (Carlton)
- Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
- Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans)

Forwards
- Gary Rohan (Sydney Swans)
- Nathan Bock (Gold Coast)
- Alex Fasolo (Collingwood)
- Patrick Karnezis (Collingwood)
- Mitch Clark (Melbourne)
- Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans)
- Dustin Martin (Richmond)
- Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)

Ruckmen
- Daniel Currie (North Melbourne)
- Billy Longer (St Kilda)
- Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
- Hamish McIntosh (Geelong)

- Mitch Honeychurch (Western Bulldogs)
- Jared Polec (Port Adelaide)
- Claye Beams (Brisbane Lions)
- Dale Thomas (Carlton)
- Brandon Ellis (Richmond)
- Dayne Beams (Collingwood)
- Jobe Watson (Essendon)
- Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions)
- Dane Swan (Collingwood)