AFL Football player Jayden Hunt is fighting the AFL over its headband ban
MELBOURNE AFL football player Jayden Hunt is fighting the AFL, which has stopped him from wearing a headband made by Grand Headbands.
The 22-year-old Demon sported a blue, red and white headband at training last week and was hoping to wear it in the clash against the Tigers.
The AFL has refused to allow Hunt to wear the headband, saying all headbands must be one colour.
Hunt branded the decision disgraceful saying he wanted to “bring a bit of flair back to the game like it used to have”.
His inspiration came from former VFL player Terry Wallace, who wore a red, blue and white headband when he played for Footscray in the late 1980s.
“I got in contact with a company called Grand Headbands who sourced the material and made it. They design and make headbands for all kinds of sports around the globe. (They are the same company that made some headbands for Brownlow medalist and Freemantle Captain Nat Fyfe; he also applied to the AFL for permission to wear in games)
Hunt said he hoped the AFL would change its current rule to headbands “make the game more interesting”.
He also had his own practical reasons having quite a mop of hair.
“The thicker band also holds my hair in place a lot better than the thin ones,” Hunt said.
AFL spokesman Patrick Keane yesterday confirmed the rules yesterday.
He said players were only able to wear headbands that were one colour, dark and unobtrusive during matches.
Football players have worn headbands throughout the game’s history, with white and black headbands the usual colour of choice.
Peter “Spida” Everitt sported a white headband to keep his dreadlocks away from his face during his time with St Kilda in the early 1990s.
Bruce Doull, wore a navy blue terry towelling sweatband that became his trademark during his 356 games with the Blues from 1969 to 1986.
Carl Ditterich, a member of St Kilda’s hall of fame, wore a thick white headband to keep his locks away from his eyes while playing for St Kilda and Melbourne from 1963 to 1980.
