Before arriving at the Swans in 2013, defender Dane Rampe learned a valuable lesson during a tough stint playing in the Victorian Football League.

The then 18-year-old spent three long seasons slugging it out with Williamstown only to “never really getting a look in” and become disillusioned with the whole process.

Rampe eventually cut his losses and moved back to Sydney, stepping away from top level football to join UNSW Bulldogs in the AFL Sydney premier division.

Instead of spelling an end to his football tilt, the move proved telling with Rampe now a 49-game Swan who tonight gears up for the first of what many hope to be plenty more milestones in the red and white.

Rampe, you could say, smelt the roses at UNSW and enjoyed a bumper season to win the medal as the league’s best player in 2012.

The performance elevated Rampe right into draft contention and helped him rediscover his love for football which all but dissipated during his time in Melbourne.

“I had a couple of knock backs at the Western Bulldogs and I had pretty much given up hope,” Rampe said.

“When I came back to Sydney, the biggest thing was I started enjoying my footy again. I really got back to the basics here and enjoyed playing with my mates again.

“To me, that was really rewarding and, thankfully, I was thrown a lifeline.”

The Swans used pick 37 in the subsequent Rookie Draft to select Rampe who has since repaid the faith by missing only two games over two seasons.

Rampe believes trying to cut that path in Melbourne, while difficult, taught him valuable lessons which has helped him grasp his first opportunity and never look back.

“I’ve always had a big focus on recovery and appreciating time away from football,” Rampe said.

“Time in Melbourne also taught me how to deal with the mental side of the game and how important is to stay fresh and not get too anxious or stressed as that can affect your body and how you perform on the track.”

Also helping Rampe with the transition has been “each and every” member of the Swans’ defensive half, most notably Nick Smith who Rampe has looked up to since coming on board and Ted Richards who Rampe will share the limelight with tonight.

Richards, who will line up for his 200th game as a Swan, believed Rampe’s rapid development is a testament to his persistence.

“It really is a great story,” Richards said. “He has become an important cog in defence and he seems to be getting better each year.”

Settled and very much engrained in the Swans’ line up, Rampe can now focus on “the bigger picture” which to him is showing the same persistence for the benefit of the team.

“It’s very rewarding (reaching 50 games) and I’m very proud,” he said.

“After establishing myself as a player, it has been about getting on with the job and building towards something bigger where I can contribute to the team and worry about how the team is going rather than my own performance.”