2010 premiership player Leigh Brown, duel Copeland Trophy winner James Clement and champion wingman John Greening were made Honorary Life Members announced by club president Eddie McGuire.
Greening and Brown (Clement was absent) were honoured in front of Collingwood’s Club 5, Legends, Captains and Social Club members in the MCC Member’s Dining Room.
Recap the live chat from the MCG here.
While the past was honoured, the future was recognised with the allocation of major guernsey numbers for season 2012. This year’s Harry Collier Trophy winner Alex Fasolo was allocated the vacant No. 1 guernsey after Leon Davis retired at the end of the season.
Andrew Krakouer will move up from No. 7 to No. 3, the same number his famous father Jim Krakouer wore for North Melbourne and St Kilda between 1982 and 1991.
Martin Clarke will wear No. 9, his third number in four seasons (in total) on Collingwood’s list. Jarrod Witts will replace fellow big man Leigh Brown in the No. 15, and Jamie Elliott will wear the coveted No. 35 in accordance with the club’s policy introduced at the end of 2010 to allocate the number to the first player recruited to Collingwood each season.
Bernie Murphy (member of archives committee), Brian Grace (official club doorman) and Julian Feller (club doctor) were also honoured with Special Service Awards.
It was an important night for the club highlighted by the induction of the three Life Members.
Brown, 29, retired after the 2011 Grand Final loss to Geelong. He played 246 matches for three clubs, but will be best remembered for his 65 games for Collingwood between 2009 and 2011 and his vital role in the 2010 premiership triumph.
The night’s second inductee Greening is recognised as one of Collingwood’s great champions. He played 107 games and kicked 70 goals over the course of eight seasons at Victoria Park.
He was leading the Brownlow Medal count in round 14, 1972, when he was felled behind play against St Kilda at Moorabbin Oval. Greening was severely concussed, and was forced to sit out nearly two years of football. He made a triumphant return in round nine, 1974, gathering 24 possessions against Richmond.
Duel Copeland Trophy winner Clement was the third inductee. The defender was recruited from Fremantle ahead of the 2001 season in one of the great Collingwood trading coups. Clement played 146 games for Collingwood between 2001 and 2007 (on top of 84 for the Dockers between 1996 and 2000), winning two Copeland Trophies and was twice an All-Australian.
Other highlights of the evening included recapping the onfield efforts of 2011 and the club’s plans for the redevelopment of the Westpac Centre and Olympic Park precinct.
Collingwood's 2012 guernsey numbers (new rookies not listed)
1. Alex Fasolo
2. Chris Tarrant
3. Andrew Krakouer
4. Alan Didak
5. Nick Maxwell
6. Tyson Goldsack
7.
8. Harry O’Brien
9. Martin Clarke
10. Scott Pendlebury
11. Jarryd Blair
12. Luke Ball
13. Dale Thomas
14. Luke Rounds
15. Jarrod Witts
16. Nathan Brown
17. Dayne Beams
18. Darren Jolly
19. Cameron Wood
20. Ben Reid
21. Sharrod Wellingham
22. Steele Sidebottom
23. Lachlan Keeffe
24. Josh Thomas
25. Tom Young
26. Ben Johnson
27. Simon Buckley
28. Ben Sinclair
29. Jonathon Ceglar
30. Brent Macaffer
31. Chris Dawes
32. Travis Cloke
33. Jackson Paine
34. Alan Toovey
35. Jamie Elliott
36. Dane Swan
37. Kirk Ugle
38. Peter Yagmoor
39. Heath Shaw
40. Paul Seedsman
41. Daniel Farmer (r)
42. Retired
43. Trent Stubbs (r)
44. Corey Gault
45. Lachlan Smith (r)
46. Marley Williams (r)
47. Michael Hartley (r)
48. Caolan Mooney (r)
49. Paul Cribbin (r)
50. Shae McNamara (r)
(r) - Rookie
