Ramanauskas debuted with the Essendon Football Club in 1999 after being selected at No. 12 in the 1998 AFL Draft. Playing mainly as a defender or midfielder, he was an integral member of the dominant 2000 Bombers' premiership team, which lost just one game for the entire season. Regarded as one of AFL's up-and-coming young stars, Ramanauskas was runner-up in the AFL Rising Star Award in 2000 and placed third in Essendon's Crichton Medal the following year, before being diagnosed with cancer in 2003. After surgery, Ramanauskas missed eight matches but made a quick recovery to play a handful of games again in 2003 before a recurrence of his cancer. He had weeks of radiotherapy treatment, but managed to come back and compete a solid 2004 season where he played in all of the Bombers' 24 games. Ramanauskas had more misfortune in 2005 when he underwent a season-ending knee reconstruction after a Round 4 training mishap. After he had completed his recovery, he was set to make another come back. However, in February 2006, a recurrence of the cancer appeared and he underwent further invasive surgery and six months of chemotherapy treatment. At the end of 2006, Essendon sought special consideration from the AFL to place Ramanauskas on a mature-aged rookie list for the 2007 season. In July 2007, Ramanauskas was elevated to the senior list and played his first AFL match in two years. Named as one of The Australian newspaper's "Most Inspirational People" in 2007, Ramanauskas' courage and determination both on and off the field has inspired many. Since 2007, he has worked passionately with the Essendon Football Club Community Affairs Department co-ordinating youth programs and developing a strong alliance with the Cancer Council of Victoria. Ramanauskas announced his retirement from AFL football at the end of the 2008 season. In 2009, he accepted a part-time role at Essendon focusing on fast-tracking the development of the club's youngest players. Alongside his duties at Essendon, he is also working on the management team at Elite Sports Properties, a sports talent management agency. He has also joined the football commentary team at 774 ABC Radio.
Career highlights
Essendon Football Club, VFL Reserves Premiership, 1999
Essendon Football Club, VFL Reserves Best & Fairest Player, 1999
In 2003, Ramanauskas was diagnosed with a low grade cancer in his neck after Round 3. He missed the next eight matches but made a quick recovery to play again in 2003. Following this was a solid 2004 season in which he played in all of the Bombers' 24 games. Ramanauskas had more misfortune in 2005 when he underwent a knee reconstruction after a Round 4 training mishap. After he had completed his recovery, however, in February 2006, a recurrence of the cancer appeared. At the end of 2006, Ramanauskas was delisted by Essendon, who asked for special consideration in placing him on a mature-aged rookie list for the 2007 season. After long deliberation by the AFL Commission on this issue, Essendon were granted permission for this to go ahead. Ramanauskas was re-drafted by Essendon with pick 33 in the 2006 Rookie Draft. On Wednesday, 4 July, Ramanauskas was elevated to the senior list and played his first AFL match in two years against the Geelong Football Club on 6 July 2007.
