Article courtesy of The Southern Courier
ARTICLE BY LAURA SUCKLING
PHOTO BY MELVYN KNIPE
WINNING the Sydney AFL grand final on Saturday will cap off an outstanding season for Dane Rampe, which has seen him selected in the All-Australian side and named as the Premier Division’s Best and Fairest player.
The UNSW/Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs player won the AFL Sydney’s Phelan Medal last week and the Howarth Trophy for representative player of the year.
Clovelly's Rampe, 22, is also hoping to be drafted as a mature-aged player by the Sydney Swans this summer.
"I'd love to make the AFL. I have my fingers crossed, but I will just have to wait and see," Rampe said.
"There are no Sydney Swans players from Sydney, which is pretty weird, there are only NSW players from interstate so it would be good to make it and have that local boy card.
"I just really enjoy my footy - I always keep myself fit, and I don't take it all too seriously."
Traditionally AFL players start the sport at a young age, but Rampe didn't play seriously until he was 17 after switching from soccer.
"There was an opportunity to play, and I did, and turned out I was pretty good at it so I stuck with it,'' he said.
In 2009, as a 19-year-old, he was invited by AFL club the Western Bulldogs, to participate in their pre-season.
Source: http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/danes-goal-swans-spot/
Last Modified on 18/09/2012 16:17
