Free kick missed in Essendon’s narrow loss to Sydney after Dane Rampe jumps on goalpost

It has been called the brain explosion of the season however, the AFL and CEO Gillon McLachlan have ticked off how the umpires handled Dane Rampe’s efforts to climb the goalpost against Essendon. Do you agree? VOTE NOW

Dane Rampe jumps on the goalpost.

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 “spiderman” 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.

However, the AFL and CEO Gillon McLachlan have ticked off how the on-field umpires handled the situation.

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“I’ll wait and see what the umpiring department and the footy department says but for me, it seems pretty practical umpiring,” McLachlan said on SEN.

“Apparently there are lots of different camera angles but he gave him the warning and the guy got down and it didn’t impact on the play.

“For me, it’s a good analogous to when a guy is a metre over the mark and the (umpire) will say ‘Come back or it’s 50’. The guy comes back immediately and if he doesn’t, it is a free kick.

“That seemed to be a very practical response. People will get into the technicality of what the rule says.

“If he had stayed there it would have been a free kick. He gave him the warning, and it didn’t impact. It seems a pretty pragmatic piece of umpiring.”

Dane Rampe shakes the goalpost.

Sydney co-captain Luke Parker wasn’t sure what to make of the incident, telling SEN he had never thought to pull off a similar move.

“It would have been shattering (if it cost Sydney the game). He (Rampe) was incredible that last quarter so we will forgive him for that. But sometimes I’m not sure what goes through his head.

“I’ve never even thought to climb a goalpost. It is in the rule books, apparently. It has crossed Dane Rampe’s mind.”

Several Bombers players led by Jake Stringer immediately remonstrated with officials following the Myers’ miss, which fell a long way shot 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.

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.

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 judgement 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.

The Swans got back to winning ways.

“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 judgement 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.”

Originally published as Free kick missed in Essendon’s narrow loss to Sydney after Dane Rampe jumps on goalpost