The contrast between the profiles of Sydney’s two most important off-season AFL acquisitions couldn’t be more stark.
At one end of the field, Kurt Tippett has slotted in seamlessly after missing the first half of the season due to his role in Adelaide’s salary cap scandal.
At the other, with much less scrutiny and nowhere near as much recognition, Dane Rampe has become a vital cog in the side’s defence.
Both starred in the Swans’ last-start 35-point win over the Western Bulldogs, Tippett booting six goals and Rampe playing the best of his 16 games of the season.
As the AFL world watched Tippett’s protracted departure from the Crows unfold last year, Rampe was being put through his paces at Sydney’s pre-season training – desperate to simply earn a spot on their rookie list.
“We didn’t know too much about him at the start of the year, so it’s hard to say how much he’s improved,” Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh said ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Collingwood.
“He’s come off the rookie list … come into the team and played his role beautifully and he’s earned the respect of the playing group pretty quickly.
“He wants to learn, he’s always asking questions and he’s always trying to improve himself.”
Rampe’s greatest asset is that he rarely gets beaten one-on-one, a handy skill to have when opposition teams try to isolate you.
More of the same is to be expected at ANZ Stadium, where the Magpies will pit Travis Cloke, Quinten Lynch and Ben Reid against Rampe, Heath Grundy and 200-gamer Ted Richards.
“They can do whatever they want,” McVeigh said when asked about the prospect of `Pies coach Nathan Buckley attempting to get Rampe alone in the goal square.
“Dane’s proved over the whole year that he’s a really good competitor.”
Tippett will again be a key factor when the reigning premiers push for their seventh consecutive win.
But, as was the case in their premiership season and has been the case all year, Sydney will look for a spread of goal-kickers.
“Our midfield is playing well and kicking goals,” McVeigh said.
Collingwood’s Tyson Goldsack, who will play his 100th game on the weekend, noted his side needed to match the Swans’ relentless pressure.
“We’ll try and get on top in contested ball and stoppages,” Goldsack said in Melbourne.
