Justin Clarke has been allocated the Number 42 guernsey (recently vacated by Josh Green), Sam Michael will wear the Number 46 guernsey (formerly worn by Broc McCauley), Jack Crisp will don the Number 47 guernsey (which had been previously occupied by Donald Barry), and Steve Wrigley has inherited the Number 48 guernsey (which fellow rookie Richard Newell wore for the Lions Reserves throughout 2011).
Newell had earlier received the Number 25 guernsey following Bart McCulloch’s departure.
Newell and Josh Dyson (27) are now the only two Lions Rookies with Lions guernseys inside the ‘top 40’ - with Niall McKeever (40), Clarke (42), Brad Harvey (45), Michael (46), Crisp (47) and Wrigley (48) occupying the majority of the higher numbers.
CLICK HERE to view the Lions’ full 2012 Jumper List
CLICK HERE to view a comprehensive list of the Club’s guernsey history
Crisp has inherited arguably the least celebrated guernsey, with the Number 47 having been worn in just 41 senior matches across 125 years of combined Club history. In fact, the country Victorian needs to play just eight senior games in the Number 47 to pass Bernie Harris’ previously held Club record of only seven games.
Like Crisp, Wrigley has an opportunity to make history in the Number 48 which has been worn most at the Club by Fitzroy’s Ken Hinkley (11 games). Interestingly, former Lions full-back Mal Michael holds the all-time AFL record for most matches played in the Number 48 - wearing it in 61 matches with Collingwood from 1996-2000.
The Lions’ other off-season additions have also been allocated their guernseys, with draftees Sam Docherty and Billy Longer set to continue some proud traditions in famous numbers.
Docherty will wear the Number 1 guernsey that is synonymous with two of the Club’s most revered figures - Kevin Murray and Paul Roos - while Longer’s Number 5 jumper has enjoyed a successful history with popular names such as John Murphy, Bernie Quinlan, Brad Scott, Tony Ongarello and Brad Hardie all featuring on the Northern Knights ruckman’s new locker at the Gabba.
On the other hand, Elliott Yeo and Patrick Wearden could become the first players to feature on their respective lockers, considering no player has ever worn their numbers in 100 games or more with the Club.
Yeo’s Number 26 has been worn most by Fitzroy’s Roy Millen who finished one match short of 100 games, while the Club record for games in Wearden’s Number 37 is currently held by Keith Bromage with just 41 games.
Some of the existing Lions players are also on their way towards making their own history with their particular jumpers:
• Jed Adcock now sits third on the Club’s list of Number 7s, after surpassing triple Brownlow Medallist Haydn Bunton in the final match of 2011. Adcock’s 120 matches now sits behind only Fitzroy Team of the Century members Warwick Irwin (206 games) and Allan Ruthven (184 games).
• Ash McGrath is the most capped player in Club history to wear the Number 9 guernsey. McGrath, who will continue to add to his 176 senior games next season, passed former Fitzroy/Bears player Matt Rendell’s previous best of 164 games in 2011.
• Despite missing six matches with a foot injury in 2011, Daniel Rich has remained relatively durable throughout his first three seasons. The 21 year-old left-footer has already played a total of 62 matches (at an average of almost 21 games per season) to rank 7th on the Club’s list of Number 10s. However, with Marcus Ashcroft holding the all-time AFL record with 306 matches in that number, Rich will need to play at least another 13 full seasons to match that feat.
• Lions Captain Jonathan Brown (210 matches) has clearly played the most games at the Club wearing his famous Number 16. He now sits only 44 games short of challenging Terry Wallace’s all-time AFL record of 254 games in that same number.
• Like Brown, decorated midfielder Simon Black is by far the longest serving Lions player to wear the Number 20. With 296 games already under his belt, Black is now just 10 games shy of breaking former North Melbourne star Wayne Schimmelbusch’s long-standing record of 306 games in the Number 20. All things going well, Black should reach this total at some stage in 2012.
• Daniel Merrett sits third on the list of Number 21s at the Club with 113 senior games. He currently sits behind Alan Thompson (138 games) and Brownlow Medallist Wilfred Smallhorn (150 games), but could threaten the lead over the coming years.
• Joel Patfull has currently played the second most games for the Lions in the Number 24 with 117 matches, but remains 47 games shy of former Bears skipper Roger Merrett’s record of 164 matches for the Club.
• Popular forward Patrick Karnezis might have only played 11 senior matches, but he’s made a promising start to becoming the first player in Club history to reach 100 senior games in the Number 28. The player he inherited the guernsey from - Troy Selwood - holds the title of most games played in that particular number with 75 matches.
• Jack Redden (30) and James Polkinghorne (31) are making good headway on their all-time number list and seem set for long futures with the Club. But the young midfielders have some way to go before challenging Robert Copeland (143 games) and Bert Clay (157 games) in Numbers 30 and 31 respectively.
• Cheynee Stiller should become the fifth player to get his name etched on the Number 32 locker early in 2012. Stiller needs just three more games to reach 100 senior matches and join Jason Baldwin, Russell Crow, Clen Denning and Shaun Hart, who are among those who share the Number 32 legacy.
• After only two seasons with the Club, Matt Maguire should elevate himself into third place on the Club’s list of players to have worn the Number 36. However, Maguire is unlikely to reach two of the Club’s all-time greats in Daniel Bradshaw (222 games) and Harvey Merrigan (190 games) who have played the most games in that number.
• Reigning Club Champion Tom Rockliff is determined to make the Number 38 his own. Rockliff currently sits in fourth position overall (with 40 matches), but has a task ahead of him if he’s to reach Leon Harris’ record of 186 games. Harris, who coached Rockliff during his junior days, has actually played more games in the Number 38 than any other player in AFL history - let alone the Club.
• With 79 senior matches, Josh Drummond already holds the Club record for most matches played in the Number 39 - and is now just 21 matches short of becoming the first Lions player to reach 100 games in that number.
