When the ball was bounced to start the annual Easter Monday clash between bitter rivals Geelong and Hawthorn, the centre square contained eight athletes, one umpire, one Sherrin and a rogue pigeon.

As the first quarter rolled on, the courageous rock dove continued to attend centre bounces and was undeterred by the myriad of studded boots that tore up the turf around it.

Although the winged invader was finally shooed to the sidelines, it did get us thinking about the weirdest and wackiest groups, individuals, items and beasts that have crossed the white line in the past.

With the game of Australian Rules Football now over 150-years-old and enjoying sesquicentennial status, we have almost certainly missed some of the game's strangest objects and intruders, so please, let us know your nominations in the comments.

Without further ado, here are the 11 most abnormal field occupants in our game's great history - besides Mark 'Jacko' Jackson.

3. The Limp Duck Inflatable (1996)

As Sydney and North Melbourne tore onto the MCG for the centenary season's decider, they were met by an unusual sight - an underperforming, three story tall Wayne Carey.

Although the inflatable Duck doppelganger hilariously failed to rise to the occasion due to a dodgy generator, the same could not be said for the man himself, as the North Melbourne skipper slammed home a goal before raising the golden premiership cup.