Even more remarkably, the most matches played in that particular number is just 12 – a record that is currently held by O’Brien’s teammate Jack Crisp who switched to the more fashionable Number 5 during the off-season.
Brian Barclay, Simon Hose, Renato Serafini, and Graham Osborne are among some of the others who have played at least one senior match in the Number 47.
In fact, the Number 47 is the equal least represented of any number below 50 in the Club’s history – along with the Number 46, which is currently worn by fellow rookie Sam Michael.
This explains why no names appear on O’Brien locker door in the Gabba change rooms.
However, should the Essendon VFL recruit go on to play 100 games in the Number 47, he will create history by becoming the first player to reach the ‘ton’ and have his named inked on the Number 47 locker door.
Hopefully it works as a further incentive for the remainder of O’Brien’s football career.
But he’s not the only current Lions player who could create history by becoming the first to have his name immortalised on their locker door.
No player in the Club’s history has played 100 senior games in the Number 25 (currently worn by Daniel McStay), Number 26 (Tom Cutler), Number 28 (Lewis Taylor), Number 37 (Patrick Wearden), Number 39 (Jackson Paine), Number 42 (Justin Clarke), Number 43 (Nick Hayes), Number 45 (Jordon Bourke), Number 46 (Sam Michael), or Number 47 (Zac O’Brien).
Hopefully a number of the players listed above go on to etch their own name into the Club’s history books at some stage in the future.
