Sydney Swans' Dane Rampe is getting the chance to establish himself this seasn. Picture: Philip Hillyard. Source: The Daily Telegraph
INJURIES present opportunities in football and Clovelly born and raised Dane Rampe has made the most of his to provide one of the surprise stories of the AFL this year.
This time last year he was playing for the University of NSW in the Sydney Football League.
This afternoon against Port Adelaide he'll play his 10th game for the defending premiers.
A season-ending knee injury to Alex Johnson and a career-ending hip injury to Marty Mattner provided a chance which Rampe has grabbed with both hands.
Three years ago Rampe left the eastern suburbs to pursue his AFL dream playing for Williamstown in the VFL, but two pre-seasons training with the Western Bulldogs hoping to be picked on the rookie list amounted to nothing.
The 23-year-old believes doing the hard yards in Melbourne built a physical and mental toughness which has helped him handle the pressure of elite football.
"I worked so hard and was so far out of my comfort zone when I went to Melbourne," Rampe told The Daily Telegraph.
"It's the appreciation of where I've come from and how hard I've worked to get here.
Coach John Longmire is certain the harder road to AFL football has held Rampe in good stead. "It builds resilience," Longmire said.
"He didn't budge when he was knocked back the first time or the second and third times."
Longmire took a massive punt on Rampe when he included the kid from Clovelly in his round-one team to play the Giants.
He was dropped to the seconds for two matches but won his spot back in round four against Geelong and has held it since.
"We knew he could run and we knew he was a competitor," Longmire said. "The players who survive in the AFL are those who do the basics well and he has done that."
The biggest challenge for Rampe has been trying to do too much and not concentrating on simply defending.
"I don't have to do anything spectacular on the offensive side," Rampe said.
"That was the hardest part in the pre-season, drilling that into my game.
"Horse (Longmire) told me a few times you have to get this right; I've found it pretty easy going in terms of knowing my role and what to do.
"I come from a league (Sydney Football League) where off the half-back line you look to pinpoint passes in the middle of the ground. It's not my role, I leave that for the Macca's (Jarrad McVeigh) and the Mal's (Nick Malceski).
Two weeks ago Rampe played his best game so far, against Adelaide, picking up 18 possessions and playing a solid defensive game where he was rarely beaten one on one. "I'm enjoying something I love doing," Rampe said. "I'm enjoying being part of the Sydney Swans and whether that's in the firsts or the seconds."
Rampe is another Swans player late to Aussie Rules, having spent most of his teenage years in soccer and basketball.
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