Michael Rampal finishes an injury-hit season as a premiership player with Holbrook

There was plenty of excitement around the 2021 Barton medallist when he crossed to the Brookers from Thurgoona last summer amid interest from several Ovens and Murray clubs.

But Rampal, who missed Holbrook's first two games of the season, broke his wrist on debut against Howlong in round three and didn't play again for 10 weeks.

Even then, he was in and out of the side over the next six weeks, playing just five matches across the home-and-away season.

But Rampal's fierce determination to be fit at the pointy end of the year paid off as he was ever-present throughout the finals series.

And the 38-year-old turned in arguably his best performance for the Brookers in their stunning grand final win over Osborne on Saturday.

"Personally, it feels amazing," Rampal said.

"I've had a shocking season, individually, but to rock up to the club, week in, week out and do what I needed to do and know that I might get the call up, it feels amazing to be sitting here with a medal around my neck that everybody wants and to finally touch the football and do what I'm meant to do here instead of just training and grinding it out.

"It's very fulfilling on my part."

Such a blow would have derailed many players but Rampal's reputation as one of country football's toughest competititors hasn't been built on thin air.

"It's been massively challenging but credit to the club," he said.

"They've created a culture that you want to keep rocking up to.

"I'm not a guy that signs with the club, sits at home and just rocks up on a weekend, I train hard.

"I knew it was going to be a grind but you can either sit there on the couch and sook about it or you get to work.

"I gave the club confidence to stick with me and it's worked out really well for me, having those extra games through the finals, getting a bit of touch and playing out of position at times.

"I've played positions where they probably didn't sign me to play but they helped me and I helped them.

"I probably didn't set the world on fire on Saturday but I did enough to help the boys."

Rampal put his hand up to battle Nick Madden in the ruck on Saturday and gave Osborne's rising star a run for his money.

He might be giving away 20 years and 19 centimetres to the AFL Draft prospect but Rampal did enough at the contest to be named in Holbrook's best players on the day.

"Some say it's too old but I rucked against an 18-year-old possible superstar of the future.

"I'm a versatile guy and I came here to be whatever they wanted me to be.

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"I knew I had a mid-season surgery but I knew I could get back from it.

"Have I been 100 percent all year?

"No, I haven't, but enough for me to put my hand up and get selected.

"I've been training since last August. COVID took a lot away from a lot of people but you can sit on the couch and just rock up the next year and expect things to happen or you do the work.

"I credit the work I did in early August last year that's got me here today, not a couple of training sessions during the season."

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