Rampe latest of Bloods’ injuries

SYDNEY’S injury year from hell has gone from bad to worse with key defender Dane Rampe ruled out of Saturday’s derby against GWS with a freak eye injury.

Already reeling from the long absence of superstars Lance Franklin, Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith, Swans coach John Longmire yesterday dropped the bombshell that both Rampe and Irishman Colin O’Riordan have been scratched from lining up against the Giants.

O’Riordan has a groin injury, while Rampe is suffering from bleeding on the eye, after the end of the ball struck him in the face during Sunday’s loss to Geelong.

Rampe is Sydney’s best player and one of the premier defenders in the AFL, and his loss not only compounds the Swans’ injury toll but potentially opens the floodgates for an orange onslaught from GWS on Saturday.

“It was a high ball coming in and the ball just landed and hit him in the eye and he had some blurred vision there for about a quarter, and then he was OK for the rest of the game,” Longmire said.

“Obviously anything in regards to his vision you don’t want to muck around with.

“Colin has some groin issues, he pulled up a bit sore.”

Swans captain Luke Parker said Sydney had no choice but to take a leaf out of the book of the Giants, who two weeks ago beat Collingwood without any of their five leaders on the field.

The Swans leadership base has been decimated.

“It’s (a huge blow) but the way we’ve got to look at it, is it gives the boys an opportunity to really lift in that area,” said Parker.

“You look at Millsy (Callum Mills) and guys like that, their leadership has gone to another level this year and we look at it as an opportunity.

“The Giants were similar the other week playing Collingwood with probably not one leader out there and started really well. It’s a great opportunity for the boys to pick up what Ramps leaves.”