Last week marked the return of Matt Rowell, and with it, the memes. In the lead up to the Suns and Dockers match, the internet was back at it with the Rowell obsession.

Since his debut, Rowell has just played the seven games but he captured the hearts of everyone. In his first four games he produced three straight best on ground performances, and has since achieved cult status in the AFL.

Let's take a look at some other cult figures in footy, obscure, forgotten and memorable. Some who won't make the list will be who were/are well known, such as Brendan Fevola, Barry Hall and Dane Swan.

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7. Matt Spangher

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Playing just 56 games over 10 years across three clubs, in West Coast, Sydney and Hawthorn, Matt Spangher won a premiership with the Hawks in 2014. It was his move to the Hawks that greeted him with cult hero status.

In 2013 a Facebook page was created named 'Sir Matthew Spangher' that gained a mass following. He quickly achieved popularity, which was evident during the 2013 VFL Grand Final. Every time Spangher was near the ball, the crowd cheered and applauded.

During the 2014 season the media began to join in on the fun and recognise the growing affection. Herald Sun's Jon Ralph wrote, "Let’s face it, when you look half rock god and half Jesus, men want to be you and women want to be with you."

Spangher is compared to Jesus because of his similar look and was nicknamed 'Fabio' because of his long hair.

During the 2014 premiership party, his name was chanted and fans demanded he speak first, even before fan favourite Cyril Rioli.

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