Taylor Walker and Ivan Maric enter the final round of the AFL season with the hotly contested Season’s Best Mullet still up for grabs. Sure three teams are still fighting it out for the the Minor Premiership and we are a week out from what shapes to be a scintillating finals series but the winner of the SBM is what’s really grabbing the people’s imaginations this weekend. Both players have shown a level of dedication and determination not seen since the glory days of the late 80’s. But where elder statesmen such as Dermott Brereton, Warrick Capper, Stephen Kernahan, and Peter Daicos were merely following the ‘fashion’ of the time, Walker and Maric have bucked social convention and decency to play out this thrilling contest.
As indicated on the Crows homepage , this hasn’t been a coincidental contest with the two former teammates engaging a per-season bet. “I’m not going to concede. I’ll keep attacking Ivan,” Walker said with a laugh. “I reckon Ivan will cut his mullet first because it’s a lot longer than mine. I’ve got my fingers crossed that he cuts his first … and I’ll just let him know that I’m coming for him.” So are they just being really really ironic? I don’t buy it. Any fetishist can use irony as an excuse and the quality and ease of wearing the offending mullets indicates to me that there is more than just a bet at stake.
At this late in the game I’m calling it a dead heat. Maric locks do appear to have more volume and shine but Walkers excellent form on the field has provided him more exposure. At the end of the day AFL is the real winner. With such strong ties to the distinctive do,I hope both players receive the official recognition they deserve come season’s end.
