Redheads get a rough go of things in this country. Bullied in the schoolyard, the butt of jokes in pubs, and all for something they cannae control.
It's time they get some love.
I've taken a look at some of the very best bloodnuts to play our great game, and had a crack at ranking them.
Honourable Mentions: Lance Whitnall, Robert 'Scratcher' Neal, Nick Vlastuin
Two cult figures of their respective clubs, Whitnall and Neal occupy places in the hearts of Blues and Cats fans across the country.
"Big Red" Whitnall overcame multiple weight and injury concerns in his career to finish with a fine CV. Whitnall was an All-Australian, three-time Blues' leading goalkicker, club captain and a best and fairest winner, all inside a career that was cut short at just 28 years of age.
A fixture of the Geelong Cats in the '70s and '80s, Neal sported a red bowl cut while holding shape on a wing. A member of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame, Neal could more than hold his own, finishing inside the top 10 in the 1976 Brownlow Medal count, tied with arguably the league's best ever player, 'Lethal' Leigh Matthews.
Richmond's resident redhead Nick Vlastuin is a three-time premiership star. A backman often overlooked in conversations about the league's best, it is perhaps fitting that his importance has only been truly recognised in the lean period that has followed the Tiger's breathtaking recent dynasty. The man the faithful call 'Tigger' has been an exceptional clubman for Richmond, and was granted life membership in 2017.
7Jarryd Roughead
Leongatha's finest won four flags, two All-Australians, a Coleman medal and three leading goalkicker nods in a storied 283-game career in the brown and gold.
The beloved figure overcame great adversity in his career, with an Achilles injury and cancer complications costing him games. His upbeat nature shone through in these times.
Roughead remains heavily involved in football, recently defecting from his Hawks to become list manager at the Adelaide Crows.
