Sydney's Dane Rampe had an interesting night against Essendon … Picture: Phil Hillyard AFL pundits and reporters have been left flabbergasted by Sydney co-captain Dane Rampe’s post-siren brainfade with his side on the brink of a thrilling victory. Rampe had a moment of after-the-siren madness after he jumped onto an SCG goalpost and started climbing it, risking gifting Essendon a shock victory. The Swans defender’s actions came as Bombers midfielder David Myers attempted to slot a match-winning goal from beyond the 50m arc on Friday night. Myers’ shot would fall short and the Swans prevailed by five points. But Rampe’s bizarre acrobatics put him at risk of conceding a free kick in front of goal, which would have ensured the visitors claimed the four premiership points. Herald Sun and Fox Footy reporter Jon Ralph was shocked by Rampe’s decision. “What the hell was Rampe thinking? Could easily have cost them 50m and the game. Climbing up the goalpost like a little boy,” Ralph said on Twitter. “Rampe had literally climbed half way up the goalpost padding when the ball left the boot of Myers for the last kick of the game.” Ralph wasn’t the only reporter and pundit left stunned. While Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes was of the belief Rampe should’ve been penalised and that the possible free kick was too harsh a penalty, the Swans should never have put himself in that risky situation in the first place. “I would think we’re saying ‘Dane Rampe, what are you doing?’” Cornes said on SEN’s Crunch Time. “It’s a harsh penalty, but you’re an experienced player, you know that you can’t do that. You saw (Fremantle’s) Brad Hill throw grass the other day. You should know the rules as a professional player. “My blame, I think in hindsight — and I hope it would be — would be on Rampe. Yes it’s unfortunate you’d lose the game of that, but it’s a poor look.” AFL laws stipulate that players must not intentionally shake a goal or behind post. But foxfooty.com.au reported on Saturday morning that the AFL umpires’ department had privately ticked off on the contentious non-free kick. Jake Stringer and Cale Hooker were among the Bombers to rush over to controlling umpire Andre Gianfagna following Myers’ failed shot. Gianfagna, who saw the chaos unfold and had ordered Rampe “down, down!”, dismissed their complaints. Coach John Longmire celebrates the Swans win with Dane Rampe. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia Speaking on SEN, Sydney co-captain Luke Parker didn’t elaborate on the incident but said he’d never think to pull off a similar move. “It would have been shattering (if it’d cost Sydney the game). He was incredible that last quarter so we will forgive him for that. But sometimes I’m not sure what goes through his head,” Parker told Crunch Time. “I’ve never even thought to climb a goalpost. It is in the rule books, apparently. It has crossed Dane Rampe’s mind.” The Seven Network suggested that umpires boss Hayden Kennedy was content with proceedings but admitted a different umpire may have penalised Rampe. “It would’ve been disappointing to have the game decided by that, but climbing it does shake it though,” Seven pundit and 2007 Brownlow medallist Bartel said. “It’s the right result. “I noticed it live. Who is that flying off the back fence like Spider-Man? He got a long way up. That’s a high climb. “I guess we’re lucky it didn’t get close.” Essendon coach John Worsfold, speaking before Seven dug up footage of Rampe’s rollick, suggested Myers was a “one per cent” chance of kicking the goal. “He was a long way out and it was pretty blustery out there, so it was going to be a miracle kick,” Worsfold said in the post-match press conference. It wasn’t the first time on Friday night that Rampe found himself in hot water with the whistleblowers. Rampe, told to play on in the second quarter after the umpire deemed he stepped off the mark, was caught holding the ball by Stringer. “I can’t hear that … you talk like a little girl,” Rampe fired back at the official. Stringer converted the resultant set shot.<doc-sep>Sydney Swans co-captain Dane Rampe has gotten away with the brain explosion of the season after umpires decided not to punish him for his "Spider Man" antics after the siren at the SCG. Under the letter of the law, Essendon could have been gifted a free kick at the centre of the goal-line to win them the game following Rampe’s moment of madness, where he climbed the goalpost as Bomber David Myers lined up an unlikely shot from 60 metres out. AFL Umpire’s boss Hayden Kennedy admitted that 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, 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. Rampe is known as one of the most reliable players in the competition and was on Thursday named as a squad player in the NSW AFL Greatest Team of all time. Camera Icon What was he thinking? 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 will be relieved the "Spider Man" meltdown didn’t snatch away a joyous win and replace it with a moment of infamy. Ultimately Rampe got lucky that the umpires made a judgment call favourable to the Swans. "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," said commentator Jimmy Bartel on 7. "But it’s hard. He hasn’t actually taken the shot yet. Clearly he wanted to get up there to touch it. "Yeah, I think it’s the right result. It would have been disappointing 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." What made Rampe’s error in judgment more mystifying was the fact Myers was such an outside hope in the first place, with Essendon coach John Worsfold describing him as a "one per cent chance" to kick the goal. Bartel said he couldn’t believe what he was seeing watching live. "It was a good effort actually. That’s why I noticed it live," said Bartel. "Who is that flying off the back fence like Spider Man? He got a long way up. That’s a high climb."<doc-sep>Sydney defender Dane Rampe has attempted to explain his thought process when he tried to climb the goalpost during the club's Friday night win over Essendon. Rampe was seen scurrying up the post as David Myers lined up his attempted after-the-siren match-winner. Many viewers felt that, according to the rules, the Bombers should have been awarded a free kick the goal line, handing them a certain victory. MORE: Gary Ablett and Nat Fyfe escape sanction for round eight incidents Speaking via the club's social media channels on Monday, the backman said he was "caught up" in the moment. "I don't know what I was thinking to be honest at the time," Rampe said. "My intention was certainly not to shake the post, there was a bit going on down there at the time and I think I just got caught up in the emotion of it. "Safe to say I won't be doing that again." The All Australian also discussed the comments he made to an umpire earlier in the game. Rampe was caught holding the ball by Jake Stringer after failing to hear umpire Jacob Mollison's 'play on' call. Following the decision, Mollison's mic picked up Rampe telling him "you talk like a little girl." "At the time I was frustrated that I didn't hear the call and by no way of imagination did I mean for my comments to be derogatory to girls," Rampe said. "Being called a 'girl' is something that should be celebrated, I genuinely mean that, I've learned from my mistake and I'll keep that front of mind moving forward." Rampe was hit with a 'please explain' over both incidents, though match review officer Michael Christian said the issue had been taken out of his hands. The Swans travel to Hobart to take on North Melbourne this Saturday night.<doc-sep>
In an extraordinary scene just as the final siren went on Friday night between AFL clubs Essendon and Sydney at the SCG, Swans’ co-captain Dane Rampe climbed a goal post in an apparent bid to put off a last-minute goal by Essendon. With the Swans only five points in front, Rampe, in a moment of after-the-siren madness jumped onto the post akin to a Spiderman stunt and started climbing it, potentially gifting Essendon an AFL victory. The decision by controlling umpire Andre Gianfagna not to penalise Rampe – the AFL laws stipulate that players must not intentionally shake a goal or behind post – created outrage on social media. “What was he thinking?”, “Bizarre Dane Rampe brain snap” and “climbing the post is a straight-up attempt to cheat” were just some of the comments flooding Twitter overnight. Channel Seven commentator and 2007 Browlow medalist Jimmy Bartel spotted the climb and saw the post “shake”. “I noticed it live. Who is that flying off the back fence like Spider-Man? He got a long way up. That’s a high climb. I guess we’re lucky it didn’t get close.” “It would’ve been disappointing to have the game decided by that, but climbing it does shake it though,” he said. Did this climb deserve a free kick? The umpires may have missed this Dane Rampe infringement after the game. #AFLSwansDons pic.twitter.com/zRwEAT6QQp — 7AFL (@7AFL) May 10, 2019 Rampe’s so-called brain fade came as Bombers midfielder David Myers attempted to slot a match-winning goal from beyond the 50-metre line. His shot fell into the goal square and the Swans won by five points. Essendon’s Jake Stringer and Cale Hooker were among players who witnessed the climb to rush over to Gianfagna following the failed shot. Gianfagna, who saw the chaos unfold and had ordered Rampe “down, down!”, dismissed their complaints. Some suggested Rampe’s bizarre acrobatics should have been enough for a free kick to be awarded in front of goal. Stand-up comedian, Fox FM radio drive host and passionate Carlton supporter Dave Hughes called on Essendon to appeal the match result 11.11 (77) to 10.12 (72). “No way goal umpire, four boundary umpires and three central umpires could miss this. Obviously decided to not pay it. It’s against the rules. Essendon should appeal the game result. Ridiculous,” he posted on Twitter on Saturday. "You talk like a little girl." Dane Rampe had some words for the umpire. #AFLSwansDons pic.twitter.com/MEEKhWVbsD — AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) May 10, 2019 It wasn’t the first time on Friday night Rampe was front and centre of umpires’ attentions. Told to play on in the second quarter after the umpire deemed he stepped off the mark, Rampe was caught holding the ball by Stringer. “I can’t hear that … you talk like a little girl,” Rampe fired back at the official. Stringer converted the resultant set shot. Rampe, 28, is one of three co-captains for the Swans and his leadership qualities last year earned him a three-year extension on his contract after being recruited to the club in 2013. Wearing the No.24 guernsey, he’s set to clock up 150 games this season. Essendon coach John Worsfold, speaking before Channel Seven showed closer footage of Rampe’s vertical climb, suggested Myers was a “one per cent” chance of kicking the goal. “He was a long way out and it was pretty blustery out there, so it was going to be a miracle kick,” Worsfold said in the post-match press conference. According to Fox Sports on Saturday, the AFL umpires department had a chat to the umpire after the match but confirmed the “non-decision” to award a free kick was the “correct one”. AFL chief Gillon McLachlan told sports radio station SEN on Saturday morning: “For me, it seemed pretty practical umpiring because he gave him a warning and it didn’t impact the play”. -with AAP