PORT ADELAIDE recruit John McCarthy will wear former club vice-captain and premiership player Chad Cornes' number 35 in 2012.

McCarthy, 22, was told within hours of arriving at Alberton last week he would don the famous number, which was worn by Cornes from 1999 until he played his last game in round 20 this season against Collingwood.

The Power recruit said the jumper came with added responsibility, given the feats reached by Cornes that included 239 senior games.

"I've got Cornesy's number, No.35, which is full-on and exciting," McCarthy told AFL.com.au.

"I've certainly got some big shoes to fill and it's an honour to be given his jumper."

Cornes left the Power at the end of the 2011 season after 14 years and later signed on with new club Greater Western Sydney, along with former teammate Dean Brogan, ex-Melbourne captain James McDonald and three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Luke Power.

The four experienced players are expected to move into assistant coaching positions in 2013 after filling on-field roles next season.

Meanwhile, McCarthy said receiving Cornes' number was just another feature of his whirlwind introduction to Port, after he was drafted by them in last week's NAB AFL Pre-season Draft when many thought he was bound for Richmond.

"It's been pretty full-on but it's great to get stuck back into it," he said. 

"I got a call from Matty [Primus] and he just said, 'You need to get your head around the fact we're thinking of taking you, we think you're our man, so you need to think about that because it could be an option'.

"Up until then I thought I was going to Richmond because I'd been training with them for a month and I hadn't really spoken to Port for about a month. I thought it was a done deal.

"But I'm glad now it's happened and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be up here and getting ready to get stuck into it."

More to follow.