'Bittersweet' Swans captaincy call for Rampe

Dane Rampe didn't think Sydney would still be here, let alone that he'd be tasked with leading the Swans to an unlikely AFL premiership again.

A heart-and-soul player, veteran defender Rampe will stand in for an injured Callum Mills and captain the club in Friday's preliminary final against Fremantle at the SCG.

Rampe had led the Swans to the eventual 2024 grand final loss when a luckless Mills suffered a hamstring strain before that year's preliminary final.

But the circumstances surrounding this year's premiership push wildly differ.

Mills's vice-captain Isaac Heeney is among five Swans players serving club-imposed bans after last month's post-match incident at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne.

Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice are the other Swans who won't play again this season.

Many in the AFL world had written off Sydney in the lead-up to finals, with even club chairman Andrew Pridham believing their chances had been "torpedoed".

A gutsy 53-point qualifying final win over Brisbane went some way towards rebuilding respect for the club, especially after Mills suffered an ACL injury in the first quarter.

Sustained by the grit displayed against the back-to-back reigning premiers, Rampe was given the nod by Mills, coach Dean Cox and club leaders.

The former Swans co-captain is chasing his maiden premiership after playing in four grand final defeats (2014, 2016, 2022 and 2024).

"It's a thrill. It's a privilege. And yeah, it's a little bit bittersweet," Rampe said on Monday.

"The overwhelming emotion is probably just gratitude to be back here.

"Probably a month ago, we weren't sure what was going to happen with the team and with the club and with the players.

"To be here and challenging in a prelim is just something, particularly being at the back end of my career, I'm really grateful for."

Rampe's return to captaincy comes after being re-drafted as a rookie by the Swans with fellow defender Jake Lloyd at the end of last year.

While Lloyd has signed on for a 15th season, neither Rampe nor the Swans have made a call on whether he will continue next year.

But the door is open, with defender Mills facing the possibility of missing the entire 2027 season.

"I haven't had a chance to think about that. I don't think it [being captain] does much," Rampe said.

"We'll wait and see. I'm just happy to be where I am at the moment and to have that little bit of hope and belief is, I feel, a real luxury."

Drafted at age 22 in 2013, Rampe was named co-captain with Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker for the 2019 season.

The trio handed the reins to Mills at the end of 2023, but their successor endured a tough 2024 season pockmarked by injury.

Mills was restricted to seven games, hurting his shoulder in a "Mad Monday" wrestling contest with a teammate before being ruled out of finals.

Cox's selection conundrum for Friday's clash is further complicated, with key forward Joel Amartey (Achilles) and winger Justin McInerney (hamstring) near full fitness.

Rampe said the Swans were playing the cards they were dealt.

"You've got one or two ways you can go in these circumstances," Rampe said.

"You can get the 'poor me' and feel sorry for yourself, or you can do something about it."