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?
1Jarrod Berry
Berry would have wanted to crawl into a dark hole below the MCG after the final siren sounded on the 2023 decider between Collingwood and Brisbane.
The then-25-year-old had given away a 50m penalty (his second for the match) to Sidebottom late in the game, who then had his own previously written about moment of redemption to crush the Lions and Berry.
While no grand final loss can be pinned on one player, Berry has spoken publicly about how he struggled in the aftermath of the tight four-point defeat.
Twelve months later, Berry starred in the big dance, kicking a goal from 20 disposals in a dominant grand final victory over Sydney. Achieving the ultimate success and redemption arc.
Speaking after the breakthrough victory, Berry shared his emotional journey from 12 months ago and how his mother, who had passed away, had inspired him to keep fighting and get back to work.
