Dane Rampe scales the goalpost.
Dane Rampe scales the goalpost.

Were the Bombers robbed? Star’s massive brain fade

SYDNEY Swans co-captain Dane Rampe got away with the brain explosion of the season when umpires decided not to punish him for his "spiderman" antics after the siren at the SCG on Friday night.

In a  moment of madness, Rampe climbed the goalpost as Bomber David Myers lined up an unlikely shot from 60m out.

Under the letter of the law, Essendon could have been gifted a free kick at the centre of the goal-line, and that would have undoubtedly won them the game.

AFL umpires' boss Hayden Kennedy admitted the incident could easily have cost the Swans the match, telling Channel 7 a different umpire could have taken a far dimmer view of Rampe's extraordinary snap decision.

Several Bombers players, led by Jake Stringer, immediately remonstrated with officials following the Myers' miss, which fell a long way short and secured Sydney a thrilling five-point win, but the umpires dismissed the protest after deeming the shaking of the post had no impact on the kick.

Umpire Andre Gianfagna was captured running from a distance and yelling "down, down" at Rampe as he took to the post as if it were a palm tree, but by the time he was back on solid ground, the post was still shaking and Myers was into his shot.

Known as one of the most reliable players in the competition, Rampe was on Thursday named as a squad player in the NSW AFL Greatest Team of all time.

The Swans got back to winning ways. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But the goalpost climb wasn't the first time Rampe lit up social media during the match.

In the second quarter he told an umpire, "you talk like a little girl" after struggling to hear instructions that cost Sydney a free kick and a goal.

Rampe would have been relieved the "spiderman" meltdown didn't snatch away a joyous win and replace it with a moment of infamy.

Ultimately, Rampe got lucky when the umpires made a judgment call favourable to the Swans.

Channel 7 commentator Jimmy Bartel said: "That's the point that was stressed to us, that they didn't feel like this actually affected it or it was going to do anything to affect the kick.

"But it's hard. He (Myers) hasn't actually taken the shot yet. Clearly he (Rampe) wanted to get up there to touch it.

"Yeah, I think it's the right result. It would have been disappointing if we get a game decided by that. But look, climbing it does shake it though.

"The ball fell short but if it went sailing through and missed and was a point, it would be very contentious.

"I guess we're lucky it didn't get close."

Who is that flying off the back fence like Spider Man? He got a long way up. That's a high climb."