Club History Best player by number

[eth-dog]

Howard Moon suggested this idea, sorry if I stole your thunder mate. Anyway, we have had a total of 1,118 players don the Red and Black, some get their number by default. Anyway, in reverse chronological order (because that's the way AFL tables list them):

#58: Trevor Heath (175cm, 74kg), played 1 game in 1971.
#57: Ian Anderson (191cm, 84kg), played 27 games for 49 goals in 1967-1971.
#55: Ross Wright (187cm, 85kg), played 11 games in 1973-1974.
#54: Tom Park (180cm, 76kg), played 3 games in 1974.
#53: Graham Middleton (189cm, 80kg), played 1 game in 1973
#52: Allen Graco (183cm, 80kg), played 8 games for 2 goals in 1971.
#51: Gary Fitzpatrick (177cm, 70kg), played 13 games for 10 goals in 1974-1975.
#50: John Carpenter (177cm, 67kg), played 2 games for 1 goal in 1969
#49: Barry Besanko (179cm, 76kg), played 3 games for 3 goals in 1980
#48: Craig Barbary (173cm, 77kg), played 8 games for 5 goals in 1979
#47: Ricky Olarenshaw (179cm, 80kg), played 77 games for 14 goals in 1993-1998
#46: Mark Baguley (180cm, 83kg), played 28 games for 2 goals in 2012-2013*
#45: Justin Stubbs (177cm, 77kg), played 3 games for 5 goals in 1988-1990
#44: Tom Bellchambers (202cm, 106kg), played 43 games for 20 goals in 2008-2012*
#43: Dean Rioli (180cm, 99kg), played 100 games for 91 goals in 1999-2006
#42: Nathan Lovett-Murray (190cm, 87kg), played 145 games for 73 goals in 2004-2013
#41: Dean Hartigan (180cm, 73kg), played 36 games for 1 goal in 1974-1977
#40: Ben Howlett (180cm, 80kg), played 97 games for 47 goals in 2010-2014

*Using stats from when they were in that number

I'll stop there for now, but feel free to discuss. I'll be working through this stage by stage. Click on "AFL Tables" if you want the full list of players who have ever played for Essendon.

 

[Duckworth]

#44 Justin Madden was better than Bellchambers.

 

[eth-dog]

Was he better for Essendon? He's undoubtedly had a better complete career but purely for Essendon, who was better?

 

[Ben the Gooner]

44 Tom Bellchambers
17 Jake Melksham
2 Tom Bellchambers

 

[eth-dog]

44 Tom Bellchambers
17 Jake Melksham
2 Tom Bellchambers

Damn it, he's figured me out! In all seriousness though, that first part was easy other than Bellchambers/Madden. 8 of them were the only ones who played in that number

 

[bacon buster]

#1 Harvey. Neagle and MJ 2nd and 3rd
#2 Mercuri. Pretty shit number otherwise
#3 Dick Reynolds. Then Henneman The Fish was good too, but The King takes this easily
#4 Jobe. Wanga very close behind, just not enough games i think
#5 Hird. TD unlucky to play 294 games and be pipped, but there you go
#6 Wellman. Neale Daniher would have been quite easily the best, from all reports
#7 Hutchison. Solly was a good player, but Hutchison is in the top 5 all time.
#8 Bewick. Kicked some outstanding goals, and some crunch goals in his career. The 93 prelim would be his best game. The 96 Centenary Game against the Cats, with 9 goals was a ripper though. Only spoiled by Malcolm Blight's play by play commentary
#9 Shane Heard? Rama would have been the best though, such a shame. Loved Cocky. Started in a blaze of glory, but never took the next step.
#10 Coleman. Foulds, O'Donnell and McVeigh make this a pretty decent number.
#11 John Birt? Zaharakis has the potential to take the crown here though
#12 Welsh was a solid player, in an average team. Not much to choose from here. Crameri probably the most talented, but gone.
#13 Long. Daisy Williams I know was huge in 84-85. But Long would be the better player. Some really talented players given this number that never really went on with it - Lovett and Cupido
#14 JJ. Not the best number really
#15 Wally Buttsworth, from memory (ie. reading) was an excellent FB in premiership teams. just pips Alvey
#16 Barnard. Not a lot of other competition here.
#17 Harold Lambert. 3 time premiership player.
#18 Lloyd ahead of Van Der Haar. Our leading goal kicker and at his best, was pretty much unstoppable. and ****ing accurate. Hurley has an opportunity to take 2nd place, can't see him ever overtaking Lloyd here.
#19 Hille just ahead of Somerville. Think he was the better player, although Somerville played in a premiership.
#20 Ted Fordham. Dad always goes on about him. i think he kicked a bag in the 65 GF win too. Who could forget Tim Darcy's 1995 season though
#21 Ken Fletcher. If Heppell's trajectory continues, he will overtake, but still has some work to do.
#22 Bill Duckworth. Norm Smith. Jake Carlisle has a big chance to own this number though
#23 Ken Fraser. Premiership captain and was a gun from all reports.
#24 Joe Misiti. So tight, Don McKenzie must have been a great player too, but I went Joe because i saw him play. and he played well in big games.
#25 Scott Lucas. Roger Merrett was good, but Lucas deserves it for being a one club player
#26 Mark Thompson. Good, tough player, and great captain.
#27 Simon Madden - easy one that.
#28 Alec Epis
#29 Tom Reynolds. Younger, less celebrated Reynolds. Still led our goal kicking 5 times.


will add to this later

 

[Doss]

#10 John Coleman
#13 Michael Long
#18 Matthew Lloyd
#24 Joe Misiti
#26 Mark Thompson
#27 Simon Madden
#31 Dustin Fletcher
#32 Tim Watson
#39 Heath Hocking

There's a few.

 

[Howard Moon]

#10 John Coleman
#13 Michael Long
#18 Matthew Lloyd
#24 Joe Misiti
#26 Mark Thompson
#27 Simon Madden
#31 Dustin Fletcher
#32 Tim Watson
#39 Heath Hocking

There's a few.

long v daisy williams
lloyd v vanderhaar
misiti v roger merrett

edit, merrett was 25

merrett v lucas!

 

[Howard Moon]

10 a big number... coleman, foulds, odonnell, mcveigh

 

[monty1104]

#10 John Coleman
#13 Michael Long
#18 Matthew Lloyd
#24 Joe Misiti
#26 Mark Thompson
#27 Simon Madden
#31 Dustin Fletcher
#32 Tim Watson
#39 Damian Hardwick

There's a few.

EFA. To be honest, I can't remember how many games Hardwick played in #39, but I'd take him ahead of Hocking.

 

[Doss]

10 a big number... coleman, foulds, odonnell, mcveigh

Showing my lack of age there. So Foulds had 10 until his 1989 retirement, so O'Donnell didn't take 10 until 1990?

 

[Doss]

EFA. To be honest, I can't remember how many games Hardwick played in #39, but I'd take him ahead of Hocking.

I'm embarrassed to admit I forgot about Dimma being in 39, which he was from 1994-97. Spent 1998-2001 in 11 which is what sticks with me.

 

[Howard Moon]

Showing my lack of age there. So Foulds had 10 until his 1989 retirement, so O'Donnell didn't take 10 until 1990?

i guess odonnell spent an eternity in the 2's before he even debuted, i have memory of a 40s number. (im trying to test my brain in here and not google right away)

 

[Howard Moon]

#1 Harvey. Neagle and MJ 2nd and 3rd
#2 Mercuri. Pretty shit number otherwise
#3 Henneman . The King would obviously get the gong
#4 Jobe. Wanga very close behind, just not enough games i think
#5 Hird. TD unlucky to play 294 games and be pipped, but there you go
#6 Wellman. Neale Daniher would have been quite easily the best, from all reports
#7 Hutchison

will add to this later

pretty spot on so far...

can barely remember another 2! bryan wood maybe? tony antrobus might have been a 2.. funny how such a good number can have a poxy record.

 

[Stopher]

Caracella the best #33?

 

[monty1104]

#12 Andrew Welsh
#19 David Hille
#8 Darren Bewick
#26 Mark Thompson
#37 Kyle Reimers

 

[eth-dog]

Caracella the best #33?

McPhee>Cara

 

[monty1104]

Caracella the best #33?

Probably have Hawker ahead of him. Going to cop flack for this, but McPhee has a better individual record than Caracella too.

 

[Howard Moon]

Caracella the best #33?

can only remember hills and hawker, probably beats those

 

[Stopher]

I would definitely not have McPhee above Blake. Hawker I am not sure about, didn't see him play.

 

[monty1104]

can only remember hills and hawker, probably beats those

Paul Hills?

 

[Howard Moon]

Paul Hills?

pretty sure he started as a 33 before he went to 11

 

[Stopher]

Paul Hills?

Apparently wore #33 in 1992. Donned the #11 for the 1993 flag though.

 

[monty1104]

Apparently wore #33 in 1992. Donned the #11 for the 1993 flag though.

Ok, that makes sense. I only really remember seeing him in the 93 premiership.

 

[Doss]

#14 Jason Johnson