It would be a big deal for a first year player to take over a Brownlow jumper. I'd say it's being reserved for someone who earns it.
Some history:
- Waterman is just the 6th player to be given the #2 in the club's history. Two of the last three (Kemp and LeCras) played over 200 games in it
- Hickey is the 9th player to be given the #16. MacKenzie is the only person to play 100 games in the jumper (Paul Symmons played 95, plus four games in 38 leaving him just short of the ton) and it's never been worn in a premiership. Yet.
- O'Neill is just the 5th player to be given #24. It's gone Worsfold (209 games), Read (11), Rosa (168), Partington (6) so on that pattern O'Neill will have a long career with us
- Foley is the 8th player to be given the #29. No one's cracked a ton, Lycett fell just a few games short of Ash Hansen's record of 78 games.
- Williams is the 9th player to be given the #32 (that's counting Burrows, who may or may not have existed). Apart from Embley (250 games) no one's gotten past 30, and it's been worn just eight times since he retired five years ago.
- Cameron is the 7th player to be given the #39. Both C.Waterman and Hunter played over 150 games in it, but since Hunter's retirement it's been worn just seven times in nine seasons (all of them by Karpany). Time to restore it to its former glory
- Brooksby is the 18th! player to be given the #40. Apart from Troy Wilson no one has played more than 11 games in it. And since Wilson retired at the end of 2003 it has been allocated to eight different players, only one of whom (the legendary Cale Morton) managed to crack a senior game. He was credited with three WCE games although given the sub rule was in place at the time his total ground time might have just added up to a whole game. MEmbley, Spaanderman, Sullivan, Hamp, Main, Gorter and Olango - not some of our best recruiting it has to be said. Sorry Keegs, you might well have inherited a curse.
- Edwards is the 13th player to be given the #42. It's fared slightly better, although no-one's made a ton (Morrison played 64 games before switching) and it hasn't appeared at senior level since McGovern's debut season.
- Smith is the 14th player to be given the #45. No one's made a ton, Andrew Lockyer holds the record with 78. Priddis and Lynch both started in 45 so Jake is in good company there.
- Riach is the 12th player to be given #46, although only three of those made a senior appearance and only Trent Carroll (45 games) made more than two.
- Bines is the 10th player to be given #47, although only three of those made a senior appearance in it and only Lewis Stevenson (10 games) got to double figures. On the plus side, the other two were Mitchell White and Kasey Green who both went on to play many more games for us.
Can't wait for the hate.
