Who are some of the best diminutive players you have seen watching the AFL, WAFL or VFL? 

That was the question Brad Hardie posed on Thursday night’s Sports Today program on the back of Caleb Daniel’s round four NAB Rising Star nomination. 

Daniel stands at just 168cm and was coached by the 166cm Brad Gotch who played 43 games for Fitzroy in the VFL, 53 for St Kilda in the VFL and AFL as well as 11 for Port Adelaide in the SANFL. 

Listen to our chat with Brad Gotch: 

Some of the great smalls thrown up by our listeners… 

Tony Liberatore

163cm, 283 games for Footscray, 1990 Brownlow medallist, Footscray Best and Fairest 1991. 

2001 AFL (Australian Football League) – Round 22 – Western Bulldogs versus Melbourne – Colonial Stadium Bulldogs’ Tony Liberatore after the siren. Photo: Ray Kennedy

Leigh Matthews 

168cm. Arguably the greatest player of all time. 332 games for Hawthorn, 915 goals. Four-time Premiership play, Eight-time Hawthorn Best and Fairest. Player of the 20th century. 

Leigh Matthews chaired off after his final game.

Tony Buhagiar 

166cm. Played 138 games for East Fremantle as well as 83 games for Essendon. 

Tony Buhagiar in action for Essendon in the VFL. Photo: Essendon FC

Wally Matera

170cm. Played 24 games for the West Coast Eagles and 32 for Fitzroy. Three-time South Fremantle Best and Fairest in the WAFL. 

Wally Matera was a member of the inaugural West Coast Eagles swaud. Matera played 24 games for the Eagles from 1987 – 1988. Photo: GSP Images

Brent Harvey

172cm. We couldn’t forget the pocket rocket Brent Harvey. A 1999 Premiership player, four-time All-Australian, five-time best and fairest and 413 gamer. 

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES – SEPTEMBER 19: Brent Harvey and Lindsay Thomas of the Roos celebrate during the First AFL Semi Final match between the Sydney Swans and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at ANZ Stadium on September 19, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Anthony Pearse/AFL Media/Getty Images) Photo: Anthony Pearse/AFL Media