Rampe Runs Rings Around Swans

This article first appeared on dailytelgraph.com.au

By Neil Cordy

An unusual off-season which included camping out with squatters in Berlin hasn’t done Swans surprise packet Dane Rampe any harm after he burned off teammates to win a 3km time-trial.

The 22-year-old isn’t resting on his laurels after a stunning debut season in which he played 23 games including three finals.

“By no means do I feel relaxed about my position in the team,” Rampe said.

“Alex Johnson is back from injury and so is Rhyce Shaw and we’ve recruited Jeremy Laidler from Carlton, they all play in similar roles to me in defence.

“I’m looking to build on the foundation I made last season.”

Rampe was one of the stories of the year when he came from playing for NSW Uni/East-Sydney in the Sydney Football League in 2012 to lining up in Round 1 for the defending premiers and missing just two matches for the year.

“My first year was about developing my competitiveness and building trust with my team mates I could do a job. It was built on a defensive foundation.”

Rampe’s European odyssey included a trip to his father’s homeland of Estonia plus Helsinki, Amsterdam and Berlin, where he and his brother Marcus took a different look at the German capital by sleeping rough.

“It opens your eyes to another part of the world and the way people live,” Rampe said.

“It was refreshing to look at a different lifestyle with no electricity and water.

“If I wanted to hang out with Pommy backpackers I could go to Bondi.”

 

 Above: Dane Rampe catches his breath after the 3km run.