There is not much more Dane Swan could have achieved this year.

The relentless Collingwood midfielder topped off his stunning 2010 by picking up the Jim Stynes Medal for Australia's best player in their 2-0 International Rules series win over Ireland.

The premiership-winning player was easily best on ground on Saturday night as Australia regained the Cormac McAnallen trophy with a 0.14.13 (55) to 1.11.13 (52) victory in front of more than 61,000 fans at Croke Park.

Swan collected 24 touches, 11 marks and kicked 10 points, calmly slotting his final over of the match to lock up the scores with only minutes remaining.

His performance completed an "unbelievable" season after picking up the AFL Players' Association MVP award and being among Collingwood's best players in this month's grand final replay win over St Kilda.

So prolific has Swan been in winning the ball this season, that he has not picked up less than 20 possessions in a match over the course of 27 matches during the AFL season and two International Rules games.

Not that it has allowed him much time off, he is due back at pre-season training in a fortnight.

"It has been an unbelievable year for me, from pre-season everything we have worked for has come to fruition, it was the perfect end to the year," he said.

"So I will have a few weeks off and then get back into it on the 14th when I head to Arizona, so there is not much time off."

His club and national coach Mick Malthouse credited Swan for his ability to "just get on with it".

"There is not much to say than wearing a premiership medal around his neck but now he has won the Jim Stynes Medal, it is a credit to him," he said.

"He works that hard on the ground to achieve (it all)."

Brad Green responded from a quiet showing in Australia's seven-point win in the series opener in Limerick with a busy performance in Dublin.

The Melbourne player kicked four overs, including the match-winning three pointer with only a minute on the clock and also made some crucial defensive plays up forward.

However it looked like Australia's dominance in Dublin could count for nothing as Ireland produced a storming finish for the second straight contest.

After the tourists failed to put the home side away in the third term, the Irish put on 14 unanswered points to lead by four points in the back end of the final term.

With the two-match series decided on for and against if it is locked at 1-1, there was not only the winner of the evening's match being considered.

But just when it looked like all coming undone for Australia, Swan was able to steady the side with a crucial three-pointer before Green pushed it out to a three-point margin.

However the Irish still threatened to pinch the match in the dying seconds.

A fumble from goalkeeper Dustin Fletcher looked like it could cost Australia before the long-limbed backman scrambled back to block Daniel Goulding's low strike for goal.

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