NEW MAGPIE Sam Murray will begin his Collingwood career in No.9, the number previously belonging to another Swan-turned-Pie, Jesse White.
The 20-year-old was traded to Collingwood from Sydney last week along with the Swans' pick 70 in this year's NAB AFL Draft and their 2018 third-round selection.
Such is the Magpies' confidence in Murray's potential, they gave the Swans their 2018 second-round pick for his services.
The former rookie will line up in the No.9, which was vacated by the recently retired White after playing 56 games between 2014 and 2017 for the Pies.
The Magpies have just four players who have played 100 games in No.9: Ron Kingston (173 games, 1950-1959), Harry Chesswas (154 games, 1922-1931), Jack Green (127 games, 1938-41, 1943-49), and Craig Stewart (115 games, 1978-1983).
Best and fairest winners Trevor Steer (1965) and Phil Carmen (1975) also wore the number, as did five-time Collingwood leading goal-kicker Brian Taylor.
Murray is a hard-running, half-back flanker who has found a home in defence after previously playing as a forward.
The young Victorian placed third in the Ovens and Murray Football League's best and fairest in 2015, and played 17 NEAFL games in his first year at the Swans in 2016.
He didn't break through for his AFL debut during his two seasons in the red and white, but he was picked in this year's NEAFL Team of the Year after averaging 22 possessions, six score involvements, six intercept possessions and 3.5 inside 50s.
