Dane Rampe’s future at the Swans is yet to be determined, says coach Dean Cox

Dane Rampe handballs during the R16 match between Sydney and Western Bulldogs at the SCG on June 27, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

SYDNEY coach Dean Cox has admitted the future of champion defender Dane Rampe remains up in the air as the Swans start to plan for 2026 and beyond.

Rampe, 35, is out of contract at season’s end and is hopeful of playing on for a 14th year, but his coach stopped short of providing those assurances ahead of the clash with Essendon on Saturday at the SCG.

The former club champion and 2016 All-Australian has featured 17 times this season for 268 games all up – the eighth most in Swans history – but it remains unclear as to whether he’ll feature again next year.

“We still know what Dane can do as a footballer and that’s really important. But when you’re 35, we’ll continue having conversations and then we’ll address at the end of the year what exactly that looks like,” Cox said.

Dane Rampe is seen during Sydney’s clash against Greater Western Sydney in round eight, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

“Both parties in everything need to be fully committed to go ‘we think your best is still good enough’ and him going ‘I still have the desperation to play AFL footy’.

“So far, he’s said that, which is good news. But we’ll go through that when the season settles.”

Rampe and the rest of the Swans backline will be assisted by the likely return of Tom McCartin this week from concussion issues as they look to finish the season on a high despite their top eight chances now being dashed.

Discussions have already taken place internally on the potential to bounce back as a contender next year courtesy of the early return to pre-season without finals to contend with this year.

The possibility of major changes to the Swans list is also on the agenda and Cox admitted several of his charges are playing for their futures over the next month.

“Players are always doing that. We need to play as well as we can for the next four weeks,” he said.

“We are that far from putting the cue in the rack. It’s about trying to get as much as we can from the remaining four weeks. Collectively as a team we need to try and work on some things going forward.”

The club’s first selection from last year’s Telstra AFL Draft, Jesse Dattoli, remains a close selection watch over the remaining month of the season after kicking three goals in back-to-back VFL games in the past fortnight.

The clash with the Bombers will be a celebration of arguably the biggest asset on the Swans list, Errol Gulden.

Errol Gulden kicks a goal during Sydney’s clash against Fremantle in round 17, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

The superstar midfielder will bring up game 100 in a career that has already netted two All-Australian blazers, a club champion award, two top seven Brownlow finishes and three Brett Kirk Medals.

His coach played with some of the finest midfielders the game has seen in Chris Judd, Daniel Kerr and Ben Cousins and while he wouldn’t compare them to young gun, he said Gulden’s work rate is of their equal.

“It’s his appetite to always want to improve. On the field and off the field, he does whatever he can to be the best footballer. His preparation for a young footballer is as good as I’ve seen. He works as hard as the best players do and that’s why he’s had so many of those achievements,” Cox said.

“They’re all different, one thing I never try and do is compare eras and players. They all have those traits and Errol’s no different to some of the best I played with and seen.

“It’s been a pretty special hundred and hopefully it’s another pretty special couple of hundred.”