Geelong’s draftees aren’t the only players getting accustomed to new numbers. Five other Cats will wear different numbers in 2011.

Josh Cowan moves from 41 to 18, Taylor Hunt from 38 to 19, Jack Weston from 43 to 37, Ben Johnson from 47 to 38 and Jesse Stringer from 49 to 41.

First year Cat Ryan Bathie, signed after a stint as an elite basketballer in NCAA college basketball in the USA and the Melbourne Tigers, will don number 47.

The Cats have three picks in the upcoming rookie draft, and those three players will be wearing 42, 43 and 46 in 2011.

The number 19 jumper hasn’t been worn in a game since round 22, 2007, the game when All Australian defender Matthew Egan suffered a broken foot that ultimately led to the end of his career. Egan remained on the list until the end of 2009 and the number was held out last year in the event that Egan was able to make a comeback to play.

There is a long history of players changing to lower numbers early in their careers. Matthew Scarlett and Josh Hunt both started in 41 before switching, Shannon Byrnes debut came in 46, and James Podsiadly wore 43 playing with the Cats VFL squad.

Past captains such as Tom Harley (switched from 37 to 2), Leigh Colbert (35 to 2), Ben Graham (36 to 7), Garry Hocking (51 to 32), Damian Bourke (43 to 30), Brian Peake (27 to 7), Ken Hinkley (39 to 29) and Andrew Bews (46 to 27) all made an in-career change to a lower number.

These moves come a day after the Cats draftees were given their numbers. Billie Smedts will wear 2, Cameron Guthrie 29, George Horlin-Smith 33 and Jordan Schroder 15.