Blonde hair and surprising Brownlow Medal wins: Is there a link?
Blondes may have more fun, but do they get more Brownlow votes? A common psychological principle may be behind some of the more surprising Brownlow victories.
Brownlow Red Carpet
Don't miss out on the headlines from Brownlow Red Carpet. Followed categories will be added to My News.
When Shane Woewodin took to the stage to receive his Brownlow Medal in 2000, many wondered how the seemingly inconspicuous Melbourne midfielder had pipped hot favourite Scott West to take home footy’s highest honour.
The answer may have laid under the harsh glare of the Crown Palladium stage lights, as they illuminated Woewodin’s bleached blonde hair.
Having flashy hair no doubt makes a player stand out on the football field, but is it enough to garner Brownlow votes?
Ahead of Monday night’s ceremony, we take a look at the biggest Brownlow surprise victories since the turn of the century, and the common thread uniting them all: flashy hair.
THE ‘POP-OUT EFFECT’
When Essendon’s Matt Guelfi rocked up to this year’s Anzac Day clash with a new blonde hairdo, it sent shockwaves around the MCG (or at least, social media).
Suddenly, the hitherto unknown 21-year-old was very, very noticeable.
The Draco Malfoy-esque mop stood out among a sea of brown hair, and while he amassed a respectable 17 touches and a goal, the audience certainly knew when he had the ball.
Later this year, several of Guelfi’s teammates clearly went halvsies on a bottle of peroxide, with young gun Orazio Fantasia and Irish import Connor McKenna debuting blonde hair of their own.
Monash University sports studies expert Tom Heenan said that blonde players stand out on the footy field because of a basic psychological principle.
“A point of difference stands out on the football field, and has historically been the blonde footballer that would theoretically attract the umpire’s attention,” Dr Heenan said.
“This is known as the ‘pop-out’ effect, and also can apply to red headed and bald players.”
But can this phenomenon explain the most unexpected Brownlow Medal victories of the past 19 years?
SHANE WOEWODIN — 2000
Shane Woewodin’s shock Brownlow win can theoretically be partly attributed to the bleached blonde hair he sported during the 2000 season.
While on Brownlow night he opted for the more demure frosted tips, the Melbourne midfielder’s proclivity for peroxide was a hallmark of his 2000 season and helped him stand out on the footy field.
Perhaps the most surprising Brownlow Medal winner in history, Woewodin started the year as a 200-1 chance to win the Brownlow.
But tied with Scott West entering the final round, an unexpected two votes in round 22 saw him squeak past West and win the medal, cementing his place in history.
Even Woewodin himself was shocked, telling the Herald Sun at the time the win was a surprise.
“I thought I had no chance. Scotty West was my pick tonight,’’ he said.
“I just came to enjoy the night with my teammates and my girlfriend — it’s a great shock and surprise.’’
While his hard work on the footy field paid off, there’s no doubt Woewodin’s highly noticeable hair helped him catch the eye of umpires and footy fans alike, making it obvious when he had the ball.
JASON AKERMANIS — 2001
There’s no denying that Aker was an excellent player, but by his own admission, it was his bleached blonde hair that helped him garner both attention and Brownlow votes.
“I remember having blondish hair that seemed to stand out and kicking goals in last quarters that might have helped me grab votes from some of my well-credentialed teammates,” he wrote in a column for the Herald Sun in 2009.
An unexpected victor, Aker said on the night that his only expectation out of the ceremony was a “free feed”.
Very few were expecting him to take out the medal, and the footy world was shocked when he ultimately outgunned hot favourite Andrew McLeod to be crowned the 2001 Brownlow medallist.
Despite being a star, Aker’s mystique and folkloric place in AFL history was certainly helped by his hair, which was later juxtaposed by a brown goatee and moustache.
Over time, Aker’s achievements on the field have been overshadowed, with his larger-than-life personality and grooming choices attracting controversy.
MATT PRIDDIS — 2014
Far from a household name, in 2014 Matt Priddis famously won the Brownlow Medal despite failing to make the All Australian team.
It was even more surprising given the Eagles’ lacklustre year, finishing ninth on the ladder and missing out on finals.
While Priddis’ footballing story is one of perseverance and hard work, it is also one of an extraordinary head of hair.
After being overlooked in four AFL drafts, the curly-haired West Australian became the first former rookie to win a Brownlow.
A former surf-lifesaver, Priddis’ Brownlow victory took everyone by surprise as he beat out hot favourites Gary Ablett Jr and Joel Selwood.
His distinctive curly blonde hair made him stand out on the field, and his hard tackling ability helped him garner enough votes to win the medal in his own right, ultimately pipping Nat Fyfe by one vote.
THE REDHEADS
Adam Cooney won the Brownlow in 2008 despite very long odds, making him the first no. 1 draft pick and one of very few redheads to do so.
Sitting at $14 with the bookies before the count, Cooney beat out dynamic Cats duo Gary Ablett Jr and Jimmy Bartel who were a $2.40 and $3.50 chance respectively.
Cooney’s win certainly was a surprise
Tom Mitchell won in 2018, but the jury’s out on whether he even qualifies as a redhead.
Mitchell’s performance in the 2018 season certainly stands on its own, racking up 786 disposals in the home and away season, and breaking the VFL/AFL record for most disposals in a single game with 54 touches against Collingwood in round 1.
THE BALDIES
There was no mystery surrounding Chris Judd and Gary Ablett Jnr’s Brownlow Medal wins. Both are extraordinary footballers whose performances stood on their own, and whose
Brownlow victories weren’t at all surprising.
Sure, their lack of hair probably made them stand out a bit more, but their blinding performances and dominance in their respective Brownlow years is the most distinctive feature.
THE OTHERS
Dustin Martin and his mohawk took the AFL world by storm.
Coupled with eye-catching tattoos, Dusty was the distinctive player of 2017, taking home a Premiership and Norm Smith Medal in addition to his Brownlow win.
Perhaps Dusty’s distinctiveness helped him get over the line in the Brownlow Medal race, but his bevy of other honours points to his 2017 form being just that good.
2019 PREDICTION
Despite their highly noticeable hair, Dr Heenan said that there were multiple factors in these surprising Brownlow victories.
“It’s not so much the blonde hair, but where they play,” Dr Heenan said.
“Footy skills can fly under the radar for a number of reasons — Woewodin was in a pretty good team and got a lot of the football that year, while Priddis’ talent escaped attention because he was playing in WA.
“While the three blondies — (Shane) Crawford, Woewodin and Akermanis — were all blonde, it’s largely been brunette players that have won the medal since.
“However there are certainly other factors at play that mean that the pop-up effect doesn’t really hold up in today’s modern game.”
Does this mean we won’t see a blonde winner this year?
“If you take the ‘pop-out’ effect as gospel, it’d mean that Isaac Heeney would have won ten Brownlows already,” Dr Heenan said.
“The best players from this year are all brunette, save for Nat Fyfe who has a bit of a surfer mop going on.
“These days it’s ultimately about where you play rather than your hair colour, but the rising popularity of the man bun is interesting, and maybe we’ll see a few winners with man buns after Nat Fyfe put them on the map.”
So where does that leave the link between blonde players and Brownlow votes?
I’m not saying he’s going to win it, but don’t be surprised if Matt Guelfi or his bleach blonde brethren pick up a few more votes than predicted, or if Darcy Moore snags a few early votes that correspond with his blonde era.
Brodie Grundy’s man bun, the favourites all have pretty generic haircuts but have the footballing chops to make themselves very obvious on the footy field.
There’s a distinct lack of the Dusty cut or bleach blonde bowlcuts among the leading pack.
Even Tom Mitchell’s ginger tinge is not present, with fellow redhead Clayton Oliver still at very long odds to take home Charlie.
The ‘pop out effect’ make us take notice of outliers, and having bleached blonde hair makes a player stand out on a field largely occupied by players with similar brunette hairdo’s.
Whether the audience pay attention to the same thing as the umpires is another question altogether.
Glamorous WAGs of the AFL Grand Final
They’re the wives and girlfriends set to stun at the MCG as their footy player partners hit the ground for the Tigers and GWS. These are the WAGs to watch on Grand Final Day.
Nadia’s sister has dig at her ex Jimmy
Nadia Bartel’s sister has slammed former Cats star Jimmy in a taunting Instagram post that references the fashion blogger’s Brownlow “revenge body”.