Clovelly's Dane Rampe is this week's AFL NSW/ACT Player of the Week. A graduate of AFL Sydney, Rampe capped a remarkable rise to the AFL when he debuted in Round 1.
By Alison Zell
Last season Dane Rampe was one of thousands of Sydney Swans fans cheering the red and white on to the 2012 AFL Premiership. Just six months later, 22-year-old Rampe made his debut with the Swans in a meteoric rise from AFL Sydney to the big time.
In his own words, Rampe said: "It’ an absolute dream."
But surprisingly, there is one thing he misses about his life last year.
"It’s kind of weird now not having a team to watch and support on the weekends ... It’s weird that I’m actually out there playing now," he said.
"I enjoyed watching the games and now I’m out there so I don’t have that experience which I kind of miss.
"Obviously it’s a good substitute, being able to be out there."
Born and bred in Clovelly in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Rampe attended private school in Sydney and only began taking footy seriously after being scouted in a Friday night round-robin competition.
"I played in the Under-14s and Under-14s for two years but that was more stuffing around and just trying it out I guess," he said.
"But in the Under-17s I tried it out again, got scouted again and it went from there.
"I got told I had talent, or more that I had potential, and it was something I was interested in following up."
With school sport and study commitments at Newington College, Rampe was unable to commit to training full-time with the NSW/ACT Rams, the state’s Under-18s side, and was overlooked for selection.
"I was playing at UNSW and I thought my form probably warranted selection but I think they were frustrated that I couldn’t train full-time so I didn’t really get a go there," Rampe said.
"It didn’t anger me but it frustrated me a little bit so once school finished I just thought, you know what, I’m going to give it a real crack.
"I’d seen people getting drafted from the Rams and I thought I was just as good, if not better, than them."
Rampe moved to Melbourne to pursue his AFL dream after being invited to train with the Western Bulldogs in 2009. He played two seasons for Williamstown in the VFL but couldn’t secure a spot on an AFL list.
"I got two pre-seasons with the Bulldogs so I was thereabouts all the time but I never actually quite made it," he said.
He moved back to Sydney for the 2012 season and was back where it all began, playing for UNSW/Eastern Suburbs in the AFL Sydney competition.
"Coming back last year I just started enjoying my footy again," he said.
"It (football) became a bit of a burden down there ... I don’t really enjoy Melbourne too much, I’m a Sydney boy and I like the sand and the waves and all that sort of stuff.
"Obviously the dream was still there to play but I wasn’t too concerned about it really.
"To be honest, I didn’t think it could happen in the Sydney footy league unless something miraculous happened, which it ended up doing."
Outstanding form in the Premier Division of AFL Sydney and some big games for NSW/ACT at the Australian Country Football Championships caught the eye of the Swans scouts and he was invited to play a few games as a top-up for the Swans reserves in the NEAFL competition.
"It kind of just eventuated from there," he said.
"I was just playing some good footy, really enjoying myself.
"Then I went to Wagga for the country championships and I think the Swans said I played well there so they got me in for a few games and I did all right again."
Rampe was a clear stand-out across the entire AFL Sydney competition, winning both the Phelan Medal for the competition's best and fairest player, and the Howarth Trophy for representative player of the year.
He was invited to train with the Swans as they kicked off their pre-season in October and was rewarded with a spot on the Swans rookie list when he was taken with pick 37 in the 2012 AFL Rookie Draft.
After playing in every game of the reigning Premiers’ NAB Cup campaign, Rampe was promoted to the Swans senior list on the eve of the 2013 season and selected to make his debut in Round 1 against the GWS GIANTS at ANZ Stadium.
The half-back flanker collected seven possessions, including two inside-50s, and made three tackles before being substituted off in the final quarter.
"I was just having a ridiculously good time," Rampe said of his long-awaited AFL debut.
"I can’t remember too much of the game actually but I was really having so much fun.
"Probably the best word to describe it is just really, really fun.
"I didn’t play that well but I just had so much fun out there because I knew it had finally happened."
Rampe was dropped back to reserves for Round 2 but knows if he continues his hard work, his chance to play senior AFL will come again.
"The good thing about the Swans is that you know if you’re doing the right thing, if you’re playing your role, then an opportunity will come up for me," he said.
"What I’ve done over pre-season is I’ve put my name in their minds come selection so my job now is when I’m in reserves to keep working as if I am playing seniors and that way I’m in their mind every week.
"When the opportunity does come, I’ve just got to be in good enough form for them to say, ‘Yep Rampe’s ready to go’ and then for me to grab it again."
Although he may not be able to sit in the stands at the SCG and watch the team he grew up supporting play each week, it’s a pretty good substitute running around in the red and white.
"It’s pretty uncanny the way it’s all worked out, a few knock-backs, I didn’t really expect anything and then now my home club ... It’s unbelievable."
Last Modified on 17/04/2013 17:42
