HISTORY OF GUERNSEY NUMBERS

It’s pre-season and players are drafted, traded and delisted. Legends retire and coaches change roles.

There are new faces around each club and North Melbourne is no exception. With five fresh faces coming into the ranks and former rookies improving with every training session, the jostling for a spot in the side has well and truly begun.

But before this takes place, another intriguing shuffle occurs off the field.

Guernsey numbers become available and each year there’s a fight to claim the best of them. Some have been made famous by past players while others hold a special significance for an individual.

Now we can reveal exactly who’ll be wearing what in season 2009.

Let’s start with the number 6. Most recently it belonged to Shannon Grant and before then John Dugdale and Arnold Briedis carried it proudly on their backs. Grant’s retirement at the end of 2008 has allowed Lachlan Hansen to claim it for next season.

Andrew Swallow has changed from number 19 to number 9. The 9 belonged to Jess Sinclair and once Barry Cable.

Leigh Brown’s delisting and subsequent move to Collingwood meant Scott Thompson was able to grab number 16. Aside from Brown, Matthew Capuano also wore it during his days at the club.

In a bizarre twist the number 17 has also changed hands but the surname of the player who now owns it remains the same. Nathan Grima has given up the number 46 in favour of Blake Grima’s number. It also belonged to Les Foote, Alan Aylett and Denis Pagan.

Perhaps the clubs most famous number is 18. It was made famous and arguably infamous by the ‘King’ Wayne Carey.   Now Josh Smith has the honour of wearing it after leaving 41 behind.

Being North Melbourne’s top overall pick in the 2008 draft, Jack Ziebell was given first choice among the draftees for guernsey numbers. He chose, from what was available, Andrew Swallow’s vacated number 19.

David Dench terrorised opposition forwards in the number 23 for many years during the 70’s and 80’s. It’s hoped Nathan O’Keefe can inflict as much damage during his run with the number.   The 2008 draftee takes it from Nathan Thompson after the veteran forward announced his retirement at the end of the season.

Another newcomer and speed freak Warren Benjamin has claimed number 26 from Lachie Hansen. Going further back it was used by Alex Ishchenko, Peter Bell and Saverio Rocca.

After being retained on the rookie list, Cruize Garlett was afforded the opportunity to select a new number. He’ll be hoping to make his debut in the AFL with 32 on his back. It was the same number Jack Waddington and Barry Davis once wore.

On the senior list for the first time is Michael Wundke. He’s seized the number 34 and hopes to make it his own. David King will be remembered as one of the most famous players to have worn it.

North Melbourne’s second pick in the 2008 draft was Samuel Wright. The boy from the Murray Bushrangers opted for number 37 after Scott Thompson chose to leave it behind. It was a number Ian Fairley once had as did former captain Adam Simpson.

From the other side of the world, Irishman Conor Meredith now calls North Melbourne players and staff family after becoming the club’s international rookie. He’ll don number 41 which was recently used by Josh Smith.

Finally, another new addition the club Liam Anthony selected number 44 after it was left on the shelf by Cruize Garlett.

HISTORY OF GUERNSEY NUMBERS