Rampe to sweat on MRO verdict after Butters bump
Dane Rampe faces an anxious wait for the match review officer’s verdict after clattering Zak Butters in the first quarter of Friday night’s preliminary final.
Rampe elected to bump while bearing down on Butters, raising his arm and seemingly catching the Port Adelaide star high after he dished off a quickfire handball.
Butters immediately got to his feet, while the Power were paid a down-the-ground free kick.
Should Rampe be slapped with any form of suspension, the Swans are certain to take the case to the tribunal.
Sydney face a tough week on the selection front, regardless of what ensues with Rampe.
Captain Callum Mills watched the lopsided clash with Port from the coaches’ box, having been an enforced omission because of a minor hamstring strain.
Young forward Logan McDonald, who was dropped for the 2022 grand final, suffered a foot injury late on Friday night.
Rampe, who celebrated his 250th match, was leading the Swans in the absence of Mills.
A handful of players have missed grand finals through suspension but a ban emanating from a preliminary final is incredibly rare.
Collingwood’s Anthony Rocca famously missed the 2003 grand final after being booked for striking Port Adelaide ruckman Brendon Lade.
Rocca had tears in his eyes during the club’s unsuccessful appeal.
“It’s fair to say the last 24 hours have been the worst of my life,” he said at the time. “Being reported at this time is hard enough, but finding me guilty would be absolutely devastating.
“I believe I deserve to play in this Saturday’s grand final.”
Rocca’s ban came a year after teammate Jason Cloke suffered the same fate
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