Grizzly veteran Dane Rampe has been announced as Sydney's stand-in skipper for the remainder of the Swans' finals campaign, after club captain Callum Mills succumbed to an ACL injury.
The Swans are without the utility of their vice-captain, with Isaac Heeney still indefinitely suspended for his role in the alleged events of August 17th.
As such, conjecture arose as to just who would lead the men in red and white into their shock home preliminary final against minor premiers Fremantle, and potentially beyond.
The 36-year-old Rampe was announced as the man for the task by the Swans on Monday morning, with Dean Cox full of praise for his 288-gamer.
“Dane has always been an exceptionally tough footballer, and he continues to show remarkable leadership qualities, which we see on a daily basis inside the four walls,” Cox said.
“As devastating as it is to lose "Millsy" so late in the season, we feel "Ramps" has the perfect characteristics and experience to lead this team for the rest of this season.
“The boys are thrilled to run out alongside Dane on Friday night.”
Rampe held the role of co-captain from 2019-2023, before Callum Mills was announced as the playing group's sole leader.
Introducing your stand-in captain for the remainder of 2026, Dane Rampe.https://t.co/JcMsyZo0H1
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) September 13, 2026
However, with Mills unavailable for the 2024 Grand Final, Rampe stood in. Rampe has infamously lost four grand finals as a Swan, providing the losing side's speech in 2022 and 2024, after heavy losses.
He is afforded the chance of atonement in the most unforeseen of circumstances, mere weeks after reportedly being left irate by the behaviour of his now-suspended teammates.
