Football can be a cruel master, but it can also provide the sweetest taste of redemption there is.
In big games or moments players are human and falter, sometimes costing their side a premiership. But the players that respond the best are the ones whose stories shine the brightest.
Some players' mistakes happen off the field, besmirching their name. But again, football gives them light at the end of the tunnel and a path back for them to show their true character.
So which stories in recent memory have the best redemption arc?
4Trent Cotchin
Cotchin's fateful decision in the 2014 elimination final against Port Adelaide was the essence of Richmond as a football club for three decades.
With a blasting gale going one way at Adelaide Oval, Cotchin won the coin toss and opted to go against the wind to silence the vocal Power crowd.
However, the decision was a shocker and haunted Cotchin for years to come as Port Adelaide killed Richmond in the first quarter alone, booting 49-7 to effectively end the contest.
Cotchin, coach Damien Hardwick and the Tigers continued to follow this poor run of decisions and performance for the next two seasons before a change in mindset, culture and tactics for the club as a whole saw Richmond secure three flags in four years.
You can't ask for more of a redemption from Cotchin as he stepped back in his role as a midfielder and focused more on his leadership to guide the Tigers into football folklore.
