In his first season as a Brisbane Lion Callum Ah Chee will don the number 4 jumper made famous by Bears and Lions legend Craig McRae, who wore it on 195 occasions. McRae, a small forward, played in all three premiership teams in the early 2000s and retired after the Lions’ 2004 Grand Final loss to Port Adelaide. He now acts as forwards coach at Richmond.
Grant Birchall played 232 games for Hawthorn in the number 14 jumper and in 2020 he is set to continue this legacy, when he wears the same number playing for the Lions. Barry Padley from Fitzroy has the record for games played in the jumper, with 159 to his name.
Cam Ellis-Yolmen has picked jumper number 28 for the 2020 season. The previous owner Lewis Taylor, who was recently traded to Sydney, played the most games in the jumper with 112 to his name.
Connor McFadyen, yet to make his debut, has completed a jumper swap, going from jumper number 45to 26, previously worn by Tom Cutler.
In other jumper news, Mitch Robinson has moved up to 6th for all-time games played with the Club in the 5 jumper. He’s played 91 and is bettered only be the five players who appear on his locker at the Gabba – Brad Hardie (101), Tony Ongarello (112), Brad Scott (146), Bernie Quinlan (189), and John Murphy (214). It’s one of the Club’s most celebrated numbers, with the five names appearing on the locker combining for five best and fairest awards, two Brownlow Medals, two Hall of Famers, and two premierships.
Dayne Zorko now boasts the most games of any player in Club history wearing 15. Zorko already appeared on the number 15 locker but has since moved past Fitzroy’s Eddie Goodger (149 games) to rank number one on the all-time list. Mal Michael is the third player to have his name etched on the 15 locker with 140 games.
Dan McStay created Club history in the team’s stirring Round 22 win over Geelong at the Gabba, by becoming the first player in the Club’s combined history to wear the 25 guernsey in 100 matches and have his name etched on the number 25 locker door at the Gabba. Eddie Hart was the closest to achieving this feat before McStay, with 92 senior games with Fitzroy.
Darcy Gardiner will also find his name etched on a locker at the Gabba, after achieving the 100-game milestone in the number 27 jumper. Gardiner played every game in 2019, leapfrogging four players into fourth overall on the 27 tally. Gardiner now boasts 106 senior games and sits behind only Ray Slocum (116 games), Clark Keating (139), and Noel Jarvis (159).
After just one season of football Noah Answerth has rocketed into fourth position overall on the Club’s all-time games list in the number 43 guernsey. Answerth’s 19 games are still shy of Jake Barrett (22), Rohan Bewick (28), and record-holder Beau McDonald (91).
Oscar McInerney also created history by becoming the Club’s most capped number 46 in history. McInerney’s 37 senior matches has edged him past previous leader Colm Begley (29 games).
