A remorseful Dane Rampe apologises for umpire insult and explains his goalpost brain fade

Dane Rampe says he is remorseful for making a comment to an umpire that was “derogatory to girls” but his insult is set to draw a bigger fine than what Dustin Martin copped for imitating drug use.

Sydney's Dane Rampe couldn’t hear an umpire and let him know. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Dane Rampe is poised to be hit with a bigger fine for insulting “little girls” than Dustin Martin copped for imitating drug use.

The AFL is looking to make a strong stand over derogatory language towards women following a comment made by the Sydney Swans captain to an umpire, but at the same time head office have refused to take any action over Rampe’s now infamous koala climb up the goalpost.

Sydney answered the AFL’s double-barrelled please explain late as Rampe broke his silence on the club’s website and apologised for his “embarrassing” night against Essendon.

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However, unless the nature of the Swans’ response drastically changes minds at AFL House, Rampe could be fined upwards of $10,000 for sledging an umpire for talking “like a little girl”.

Richmond star Martin was slugged $7500 (more than half suspended) for mocking GWS opponent Shane Mumford with a snorting gesture and a foul-mouthed tirade that was captured by television cameras.

But the AFL was taking an even dimmer view of Rampe’s comment, with the league believing it’s their duty to call out gender-biased language that talks down females, particularly as they look to make their women’s competition flourish.

Rampe addressed his two bizarre moments of madness from Friday night’s win over the Bombers, but while he might be mildly embarrassed he climbed a goalpost, it’s understood he is privately mortified that he made an offensive comment about women.

“(Most) importantly is my poor choice of words. 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 told the Swans’ website.

Dane Rampe has apologised for insulting umpire Jacob Mollison. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Being called a girl is something that should be celebrated and I genuinely mean that. I’ve learnt from my mistake and I’ll definitely keep that front of mind going forward.

“I just want it to be known that by no means did I mean any disrespect by (comments to the umpire at the end of the second quarter of the win over Essendon) .

“I know it’s a hard job they do. And at times my frustrations can boil over but I hope that’s seen or portrayed in a way that shows my passion and excitement for the role I play in the team.

“I put my hand up and say I can overstep the mark at times and I will keep that in mind going forward.”

Rampe was on Monday issued a please explain by the AFL — with a deadline to respond on Monday night — and could on Tuesday be charged under rule 2.3 for conduct unbecoming.

His response will be considered by football operations boss Steve Hocking and his department, with a determination to be made on whether he will be charged and potentially fined for either or both incidents.

The Swans defender said his decision to climb the goalpost as David Myers attempted an after-the-siren shot at goal was a brain fade.

“I don’t know what I was thinking, to be honest, at the time, but my intention was certainly not to shake the post,” he said.

“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 it again. I’m a little bit embarrassed by it, but I guess there was no malice intended.”

Dane Rampe says he jumped on the goalpost after getting caught up in the emotion of the match.

Umpires ultimately decided Rampe’s koala like climb had no impact on the result, and the AFL has backed their officials – despite many claiming the Swans should have been penalised with a free-kick in front of goal which would have cost them the game.

Essendon has sought clarity from the league on the application of rules, after the co-skipper’s after-siren post antics were ticked off by the AFL as not worthy of a free kick.

Sydney coach John Longmire conceded that the sledge was “poor”, but said the defender was “a quality person and a quality character”.

“Obviously there’s been a big focus on it and that’s what the footy world is (like) these days, you play Friday night and the focus is on (you),” Longmire said.

“But he’ll learn from it, we always learn whether it’s the coaches or players, you’re always learning, and we’ll address it and move on.”

The goal post incident was not considered by match review officer Michael Christian on Saturday upon a league directive, instead becoming a football department issue.

John Longmire celebrates the Swans win with Dane Rampe. Picture: Phil Hillyard

League boss Gillon McLachlan supported the umpire’s decision to warn Rampe to get down from the post in Friday night’s Sydney victory, saying the umpiring of the incident had been “practical”.

Richmond star Dustin Martin was hit with a similar “please explain” in Round 3 for his middle-finger and snorting gesture against Greater Western Sydney.

He apologised, but was hit with a $7500 fine — $5000 of which was suspended until the end of 2020.