Players by Numbers

[Vader]

It's a boring off-season.. so the AFC have put up a list of all their players, listed by the number on the back of their jumper:
http://www.afc.com.au/theclub/history/playersbynumbers/tabid/14921/default.aspx

Some observations..

• Numbers 45+ are a relic of a different time, when club lists were larger than they are today (our inaugural list had 52 players). Thus, none of these jumpers have had more than 2 occupants.
• Of the remainder, 34 is the only one to have had a solitary occupant (Ben Hart).
• 7, 12, 23 & 36 are next in line, having had just 2 occupants.
• #2 has had more users than any other, with 7.
• It's followed by 5, 6, 17 & 31 as the next most frequently assigned jumper.
• Just 13 of our players have swapped numbers during their AFC careers.

Note: Players must wear them in a game for premiership points (or finals) to qualify. Players who had jumpers assigned but never made an AFL debut are not included.

 

[afc1991]

I thought ol' Randal Bone, (detective now isn't it?) switched to 25 in the end. It's possible he never played in it though.

 

[cmndstab]

Interesting that we've had a fair number of very good players in the seemingly innocent #44 guernsey.

 

[Vader]

Interesting that we've had a fair number of very good players in the seemingly innocent #44 guernsey.

Tommy Warhurst was a short timer, one of the many SANFL stars on our inaugural list who were just too old to forge a long term AFL career by the time the AFC got started. He played around 300 games for Norwood and was a very good player indeed.

Sean Wellman went on to have a good, long career with Essendon. Never forget that he was the price we paid to get Darren Jarman.

Peter Caven was a dual premiership hero. He played 82 games for the AFC, plus another 57 for Sydney & Fitzroy. He might be a dual premiership hero, but his greatest claim to fame will always be the time he infamously headbutted Lockett's elbow.

Bock is the incumbent, the first (and only) player to register 100 games in this jumper.

That leaves Stuart Bown, who played just 4 games in the jumper (twice as many as Warhurst). Bown was a good honest SANFL player, but really never looked like making it at the higher grade.

 

[Hondo]

What do we think is the number with the most "pedigree" (can't think of the right word). My rule would be most number of games played by our best players over time in the one number.

I'd make it out of:

7 - Smart, VB
34 - Hart
32 - Roo, Dangerfield (Lindsay)
23 - McLeod (McIntyre)
10 - McDermott, Robran (others)

Honourable mentions to numbers 3, 5, 26 and 36

You also can't forget the number 52 which will likely never be used again so will always belong to legend Shaun Rehn

 

[Vantz]

Football is a strange game. All players need to choose a number between 1-99 however are only allowed to select a number dependent on how many players are on the list.

I remember hearing recently Nick Gill on AA talking about asking for a 0 or 99 (cant recall) at North Melbourne being kindly told by the property steward numbers only went to 44.

I would love to see players go for numbers between 50-99, like in many other sports.

 

[MelbourneCrow]

What do we think is the number with the most "pedigree" (can't think of the right word). My rule would be most number of games played by our best players over time in the one number.

I'd make it out of:

7 - Smart, VB
34 - Hart
32 - Roo, Dangerfield (Lindsay)
23 - McLeod (McIntyre)
10 - McDermott, Robran (others)

Honourable mentions to numbers 3, 5, 26 and 36

You also can't forget the number 52 which will likely never be used again so will always belong to legend Shaun Rehn

In a couple of years time it will be No. 32 then daylight IMO.

 

[SugarShane]

I seem to remember Mods wearing a different number in 1992 (dunno if it was for one game or more), for some reason a 40's number like 42 or 41 is sticking out. Can anyone confirm, or am i losing it?

 

[afc1991]

I seem to remember Mods wearing a different number in 1992 (dunno if it was for one game or more), for some reason a 40's number like 42 or 41 is sticking out. Can anyone confirm, or am i losing it?

44.

He wore it in a cup game vs fitzroy in 92 i think, kicked 5 or 6 and took a good grab or two. First glimpse of things to come.

I think 6 was Wellman's number but Mods pinched it as he made his debut first.

 

[NTRabbit]

Peter Caven was a dual premiership hero. He played 82 games for the AFC, plus another 57 for Sydney & Fitzroy. He might be a dual premiership hero, but his greatest claim to fame will always be the time he infamously headbutted Lockett's elbow.

Sickening incident that one, Caven deserved every one of the 8 weeks suspension he got.

 

[Hondo]

44.

He wore it in a cup game vs fitzroy in 92 i think, kicked 5 or 6 and took a good grab or two. First glimpse of things to come.

I think 6 was Wellman's number but Mods pinched it as he made his debut first.

You reckon they did the guernsey number allocations like that? Who debuted first?

Number 6 was worn by Clayton Lamb in 1991. Lamb was delisted at the end of that season when Modra and Wellman were drafted in.

Wellman ended up in 44 and Modra 6 so either you're theory is right or they just forgot to pack the number 6 guernsey on the night Modra wore 44?

 

[afc1991]

You reckon they did the guernsey number allocations like that? Who debuted first?

Number 6 was worn by Clayton Lamb in 1991. Lamb was delisted at the end of that season when Modra and Wellman were drafted in.

Wellman ended up in 44 and Modra 6 so either you're theory is right or they just forgot to pack the number 6 guernsey on the night Modra wore 44?

Vaguely remember wellman saying something like that in an interview, was with a bit of a smirk so who knows.

Not far fetched though, if we had to share change rooms with U19s at the G on occassion back in 92, then it's possible a player could pinch a jumper number that wasnt previously in use.

edit: also Wellman ended up #6 at the dons

 

[Redcap]

Everything ive checked says 33 is right but I dont reckon it is, can anyone confirm THE WEED wore 50 in 1991, positive he did

 

[afc1991]

Everything ive checked says 33 is right but I dont reckon it is, can anyone confirm THE WEED wore 50 in 1991, positive he did

It was his original number, don't know if he played a game for points in 50.

 

[Firewalker]

It was his original number, don't know if he played a game for points in 50.

he did actually for all of the 5 games he played in '91 and changed it to #33 at the beginnng of the '92 season. Just a typo on the AFC website.

Good to see Anthony Ingerson up there in the #29, shouldn't of got rid of him, if only Cornesy or the hopeless Robert Shaw would of tried him down back where he was a star for the Dees

 

[BustaB]

The amount of games that Rehn played in no 52 is an AFL record, one which I doubt will be broken

 

[AFC Official]

he did actually for all of the 5 games he played in '91 and changed it to #33 at the beginnng of the '92 season. Just a typo on the AFC website.

Good to see Anthony Ingerson up there in the #29, shouldn't of got rid of him, if only Cornesy or the hopeless Robert Shaw would of tried him down back where he was a star for the Dees

Thanks for that. You are correct about the Weed, so we will fix.

On another point, apparently when the Crows first gave out numbers it was based on most games played having the right to a particular number. So if two blokes had wanted 10 for instance, McDermott had first option.

 

[SugarShane]

44.

He wore it in a cup game vs fitzroy in 92 i think, kicked 5 or 6 and took a good grab or two. First glimpse of things to come.

I think 6 was Wellman's number but Mods pinched it as he made his debut first.

Yep, right you are (mostly anyway). I went back and had a look at one of my old tapes (the one they put out to celebrate the Crows first 100 games) and it was against Footscray in R2 of the preseason comp. His debut in the regular season was in the #6 though.

 

[aneale]

The amount of games that Rehn played in no 52 is an AFL record, one which I doubt will be broken

Ben Hart holds the record for the #34 as well.

 

[Redcap]

Ben Hart holds the record for the #34 as well.

Does Bickley still hold 26 and Roo 32 I reckon Edwards is a chance to break Crawfords hold on the 9 record if he hasnt already, he played 29games in 37