Is it the heart or the height that makes a football player? That question has haunted some players careers on their way to proving everyone around them wrong, despite the genetic cards they were dealt in life.

But what if you were to line up all of the great small players to ever play the game and rank them among themselves as if they were matching up against one another in the same weight class?

Here's my ranking of some of the short kings to grace the game. Note that I'm classifying them as small based on being listed as 175cm or smaller.

Honorable mentions go to North Melbourne premiership player Barry Cable and West Coast All-Australian Phillip Matera.

3John Platten (170 cm)

AFL Grand Final - Hawks v Cats
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Darren Pritchard, Jason Dunstall and John Platten of the Hawks holds aloft the premiership trophy after winning the 1989 AFL Grand Final played between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Geelong Cats held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground September 30, 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Getty Images)

The number one spot on the list goes to the only one named so far who has won a total of four premierships, all of which were for Hawthorn during their reign of the 1980's. Who some called ‘The Rat', Platten was one of the quickest players to play the game and would rise to any occasion despite his size on his way to a whopping five All-Australian appearances.

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