Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell sniffs every football on all fours before match

Gold Coast Suns midfielder Matt Rowell has added another layer to his collection of unconventional pre-game rituals. Extraordinary footage captured the reigning Brownlow medallist in the team sheds before a match, where he got down on all fours and proceeded to sniff every football lined up against a wall. The vision showed Rowell meticulously inspecting 13 yellow Sherrins, crawling along the floor in a manner that drew immediate comparisons to a trained detection dog. Basketball legend Andrew Gaze likened the Suns midfielder's careful search to the work of a Labrador that instinctively knows how to find the right scent. Former Hawthorn player Ben Dixon joked that Rowell might have already discovered his post-football career, suggesting he could work at an airport in a similar detection role.

The incident is the latest in a series of peculiar pre-game behaviors that have established the 25-year-old as one of the Australian Football League's most fascinating and discussed characters. Rowell has previously been filmed walking barefoot across the playing surface, crouching on the turf, eating pieces of grass, and writing in a journal before matches. Earlier in the season, he was spotted sitting barefoot on a Sherrin football, a practice he later explained helped him connect with his surroundings before play began. Rowell stated at the time that the routine was something he did before every game, emphasizing the importance of getting a feel for the ground through smell, touch, and all the senses, and noting that he always goes barefoot.

Despite Rowell's elaborate preparations, the ritual did not translate into on-field success for the Suns on this occasion. The team suffered a heavy 42-point defeat at the hands of their Queensland rivals, the Brisbane Lions. The loss added to a frustrating period for the Gold Coast club, which has struggled to convert its talented list into consistent results. The Suns made a significant off-season move by recruiting Melbourne premiership star Christian Petracca, but the team has yet to find the right formula. Rowell himself acknowledged the need to figure out how to best utilize Petracca, stating that they have had productive conversations and that Petracca is willing to do whatever is required for the benefit of the team.

The broader context of the Suns' struggles has also placed Rowell under scrutiny regarding his relationship with coach Damien Hardwick. In July, Rowell was forced to publicly deny reports of a fractured relationship with Hardwick as pressure intensified around the underperforming club. Rowell addressed the situation by acknowledging that the team's position necessitates hard conversations because they are not where they want to be. The combination of on-field disappointments, high-profile recruitment, and internal speculation has created a challenging environment at the Suns, with Rowell's unusual rituals providing a unique subplot to the team's ongoing narrative.