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.

4. Meatloaf's Massacre (2011)

Despite selling 50 million copies of his 'Bat Out of Hell' trilogy, holding a net worth of $25 million and previously possessing one of the most powerful voices on plant Earth, when Meatloaf opened his vocal chords at the MCG in 2011, he was met with laughter and not applause.

The rock opera superstar's set ahead of the Collingwood and Cats' clash will long live in the memory of anyone unlucky enough to witness it, with the only thing more strained than the Texan's notes being the eardrums of those in attendance.

If you are a sadist, masochist or have a tin ear, here is the shocking set in its entirety.

Some may argue that as the now 73-year-old never entered the playing field, he has no place on this list, but as his off key madness polluted the G's blades, we have included him.