Rampe pays big price for sledge, goalpost climb
THE AFL has muddied the waters on its response to goalpost gate by handing Sydney Swans captain Dane Rampe a suspended fine of $1000 for his koala-climbing antics at the SCG last Friday night.
And, in a separate incident, Rampe has been fined $10,000 for telling an umpire he talked "like a little girl".
The AFL said that $5000 of that fine will be suspended for the entirety of the star defender's career.
It's a heavier financial penalty than the $7500 fine ($5000 suspended) dished out to Richmond Dustin Martin for imitating illicit drug use earlier this season.
The AFL has made an example out of Rampe as it looks to make a public stand on gender-biased language and call out such behaviour in the sporting landscape.
While the AFL's response to the "little girl" incident was flagged, it was expected Rampe would escape scot-free for his bizarre goalpost climb.
The fact the AFL has gone in half-cocked and decided to sanction him poses further questions about how administrators handled the issue post-match.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan immediately backed the decision made by umpires to apply common sense and not issue a free-kick to Essendon which would have handed the Bombers the win.
Rampe was initially cleared by the match review committee but now the Swans co-captain has copped a fine five days later.
The fact the AFL has actually taken some action, albeit in the form of a suspended fine, raises fresh questions over how the game can still say the correct decision was made on the night.
