In 2000, he was a regular selection on the wing in Essendon's 2000 premiership season, in which they lost just one game for the entire year.
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 he managed to come back and compete a solid 2004 season, where he played in all of the Bombers' 24 games.
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.
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.
In 2009, he accepted a part-time role at Essendon focusing on fast-tracking the development of the club's youngest players.
[2] 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.
On 25 August 2008, Ramanauskas and longtime teammate Jason Johnson announced their retirements from AFL effective at the end of the season.