Dane Rampe was denied at several drafts and didn’t land a spot on an AFL list until the age of 22. But ever since being rookie-listed in November 2012, the key defender has seized his opportunity. Rampe made his AFL debut in Round 1 of 2013 and played his 200th match in 2022. He’s an All Australian, an emergency for the greatest NSW team of all time and a Bob Skilton medallist, and leads the Swans as a co-captain with Luke Parker and Callum Mills. It doesn’t matter if the opposition’s best forward is a tall or small; so versatile and reliable is Rampe that he’s always assigned to the toughest task in defence. Last season the key defender managed 223 kicks and 322 disposals from 25 games.
