Prediction 2024 Jumper numbers

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I’m guessing #42 will be freed up at some stage in the next few years (and it is purely just a guess)
Zai Millane is eligible next year. I dont get the suns will be that desperate to keep him. But whether or not he is good enough is the question.
 
I guess Lachie will get first choice of the numbers. Maybe 8 or 12?

Any low numbers want a promotion? No obvious candidates but I didn’t see Bruzzy change coming either
 
The family can free up the number anytime they like.
The club clearly wants the number back and is definitely working emphatically with Denise seeking her blessing.

I understand the belief is that as time has passed, there are less people aware of Milane’s story, 30 years ago, and leaving the number out of play is actually not helping him be remembered.

There’s been discussions about bringing it back slowly, potentially in an honourable way.

All discussion at this stage.
But I feel it’s likely in the short term future.
 
The club clearly wants the number back and is definitely working emphatically with Denise seeking her blessing.

I understand the belief is that as time has passed, there are less people aware of Milane’s story, 30 years ago, and leaving the number out of play is actually not helping him be remembered.

There’s been discussions about bringing it back slowly, potentially in an honourable way.

All discussion at this stage.
But I feel it’s likely in the short term future.
Maybe it could be the first draftee every year like 35 was ?

When returned must be on a senior player or promising kid who will make it
 
We finally moved on from deifying the number 35 - surely it’s time to do the same with 42? They are just numbers FFS.

I don’t think these ‘traditions’ are especially healthy. We have to move on, move ahead, and in step with the ‘new’ Collingwood which is evolving before our eyes.

The 42 has been untouchable for over 30 years. Long enough.
 
Maybe it could be the first draftee every year like 35 was ?

When returned must be on a senior player or promising kid who will make it
If it’s returned and rotated I’d prefer the Darren Millane award winner to wear it for the following season rather than a first draftee who might not play seniors
 

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Any low numbers want a promotion? No obvious candidates but I didn’t see Bruzzy change coming either
Blair changed from 47 to 11, but it’s rare for a premiership player to swap numbers, so I doubt we’ll see a Maynard like surprise. From outside the premiership 22, perhaps Harrison, Johnson or Macrae?
 
We finally moved on from deifying the number 35 - surely it’s time to do the same with 42? They are just numbers FFS.

I don’t think these ‘traditions’ are especially healthy. We have to move on, move ahead, and in step with the ‘new’ Collingwood which is evolving before our eyes.

The 42 has been untouchable for over 30 years. Long enough.
What better way to honour past players by having the number on the field writing new stories with next generation of players who understand the history of the number on their back?! I hate retiring numbers
 
The 42 has been untouchable for over 30 years. Long enough.

This 👍

Millane was a damn fine footy player, a Collingwood Premiership player, he deserves to be venerated, and venerated he has been …

… but let’s not lose perspective that there are another 198 Collingwood Premiership players - and many of them also damn fine footy players - and they haven’t been honoured in anything like this way. The only reason Millane seems to be treated differently is because he died young. And he happened to die young doing something society would label him a “bloody idiot” for - then and now and and at all times since.

30 years is long enough.

I reckon we should have a polite word to his Mum and say “We’re going to propose a motion at the 2024 AGM to put the #42 jumper back into circulation and put it to a vote … our preference would be to avoid doing that, and instead come to terms with you about how we can respectfully honour Darren and put the number back into circulation - give it some thought.”
 
This 👍

Millane was a damn fine footy player, a Collingwood Premiership player, he deserves to be venerated, and venerated he has been …

… but let’s not lose perspective that there are another 198 Collingwood Premiership players - and many of them also damn fine footy players - and they haven’t been honoured in anything like this way. The only reason Millane seems to be treated differently is because he died young. And he happened to die young doing something society would label him a “bloody idiot” for - then and now and and at all times since.

30 years is long enough.

I reckon we should have a polite word to his Mum and say “We’re going to propose a motion at the 2024 AGM to put the #42 jumper back into circulation and put it to a vote … our preference would be to avoid doing that, and instead come to terms with you about how we can respectfully honour Darren and put the number back into circulation - give it some thought.”
I get your point, however, I don't believe Millane was a "damn fine player". He was a great player. He was a game changer and a match winner. He was a skilled, tough and fierce player feared by opposition players. Collinwood has not seen a player such as Millane since his sad demise.
 
We already know that Harry DeMattia will be #13

Available numbers

#8
#12
#19
#20
#21
#27
#33
#34 (I imagine we are reserving this one for end of 2025)

My guess is Schultz at 8 and TJ at 12 or 20 (if Kelly doesn't get back on the list)
 
I get your point, however, I don't believe Millane was a "damn fine player". He was a great player. He was a game changer and a match winner. He was a skilled, tough and fierce player feared by opposition players. Collinwood has not seen a player such as Millane since his sad demise.

This feels...somewhat disingenuous (for lack of a better word)

What player in today's competition is feared? Genuinely feared? The only reason players were "feared" pre-2005 or so is because players used to go out of their way to legitimately hurt each other.

I would argue that Maynard is 1000% the modern incarnation of Millane. Equally as tough, fierce, just as skilled (if not more so, I think most older players definitely get the benefit of the rose coloured boost) and like Millane, a great clubman adored by his teammates.

He actually would have been the perfect player to take that jumper over.

No one would undersell what Millane was to the club, but let's not get too carried away. He was - to put it nicely, a larrikin off the field and died doing something wildly irresponsible. So much so, the now infamous TAC TV ads basically started because of him.

It's been 30 years. Reckon it's probably been long enough where the club can quite reasonably come up with another way to honour Darren and allow the number back into circulation. I mean, they already have the Darren Millane award for best clubman. Maybe as 76woodenspooners cleverly suggested, we put a small 42 on the nape of every jumper? Maybe they could also be more measured about whom to give the 42 to and reserve it for players who embody both physically and spiritually what made Darren so great and so loved? Like Maynard.

But if the 42 is on the back of EVERY jumper, I'm not sure how much more of an acknowledgement you can get.

If the Club truly is bigger than any individual, I would argue the Club is also bigger than any individual's Mum?
 
I get your point, however, I don't believe Millane was a "damn fine player". He was a great player. He was a game changer and a match winner. He was a skilled, tough and fierce player feared by opposition players. Collinwood has not seen a player such as Millane since his sad demise.

Agree with this too, but it doesn’t mean his number should continue to be withheld from use.

There were other Collingwood greats who died young including in wars. Most of us have forgotten them or never knew them. It’s a sad reality.

I think the Millane thing is caught up in the emotion of the 1990 flag, and all that he did for us to win that flag, when it was so desperately needed. His death a year later is part of that triumphant/tragic era. Setting aside his number was a worthy gesture for a premiership hero and an amazing player. But it’s time to move on.
 
I get your point, however, I don't believe Millane was a "damn fine player". He was a great player. He was a game changer and a match winner. He was a skilled, tough and fierce player feared by opposition players. Collinwood has not seen a player such as Millane since his sad demise.

Millane was a very good player and a colourful, unique individual. Retiring his number for decades was a great sign of respect.

Time to move forward and use the power of 42 to motivate the next generations.

Bruzzy deserves that number. He's the 21st century version of so many of the values that Millane embodied.

EDIT: How cool would it be to award the Millane trophy and the 42 to the most courageous player in a premiership year? That's a proper honour.
 
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This feels...somewhat disingenuous (for lack of a better word)

What player in today's competition is feared? Genuinely feared? The only reason players were "feared" pre-2005 or so is because players used to go out of their way to legitimately hurt each other.

I was thinking the same thing. The game has changed, It's not like that anymore. Players are more respected than feared, and players dont talk about fearing one player. They talk about enjoying the challenge to fare themselves off specific players, like Greene, and others would say that about Maynard. But if you fear a player, then you've already lost. What is it that Maynard says?
"Respect all, fear none."
 

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