Josh Watts received the most notable jumper, inheriting Simon Black’s famous number 20.
Black wore the number 20 Lions guernsey in 322 senior AFL matches – the most of any Brisbane player in history.
Following his retirement at the end of 2013, Black’s enormous contribution to the Club was honoured by having his jumper ‘retired’ for 12 months. His name also remained on the number 20 locker throughout the entire 2014 season.
Watts was surprised to be handed the historic jumper by Senior Coach Justin Leppitsch the day after he was drafted, and now hopes to continue the proud tradition.
“I think he was disappointed that they were scratching his name off the locker and putting mine on,” Watts joked on Tuesday.
Watts will now be greeted by Black’s name every morning he arrives at the Club, along with the names of former Fitzroy greats Graham Campbell and John Newnham, who also played more than 100 senior matches in that guernsey.
Fellow draftees Jaden McGrath and Josh McGuinness were allocated numbers 29 and 43 respectively for next season.
McGrath’s number 29 comes with the most history considering it was worn by one of Fitzroy’s all-time greats in Garry Wilson.
Coincidentally, Wilson was nicknamed ‘Flea’ due to being relatively small in stature, while McGrath is also considered to be relatively small and ‘nippy’ at 179cm.
Fremantle Senior Coach Ross Lyon and Graeme McKenzie are other former Fitzroy players that appear on the number 29 locker.
It’s a different story for McGuinness, however, whose number 43 locker is bare.
No player in the Club’s combined 128-year history has worn the number 43 in 100 or more matches, with premiership ruckman Beau McDonald the nearest with 91.
As is customary, the four players selected by the Lions at the Rookie Draft – Cian Hanley (#37), Matthew Hammelmann (#40), Billy Evans (#46), and Hugh Beasley (#48) – all received higher numbers.
Like McGuinness, Hanley, Evans, and Beasley will have the chance to make history as the first players ever to wear their respective Lions guernseys in 100 senior matches with the Club.
Hammelmann, on the other hand, will don the number 40 guernsey made famous by former Fitzroy best and fairest Scott Clayton – who is also the father of draftee Josh Clayton (#19).
The only guernsey number that will remain vacant for season 2015 is Jonathan Brown’s famous Number 16, which will be retired much like Simon Black’s was this year.
NEW NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
#3 – ALLEN CHRISTENSEN (formerly number 28 at Geelong)
Most recently worn by: Brent Moloney
Most games (Club History): Michael Voss – 283
#5 – MITCH ROBINSON (formerly number 12 at Carlton)
Most recently worn by: Jack Crisp
Most games (Club History): John Murphy – 214
#9 – DAYNE BEAMS (formerly number 17 at Collingwood)
Most recently worn by: Ash McGrath
Most games (Club History): Ash McGrath – 214
#19 – JOSH CLAYTON (formerly number 12 at Sandringham Dragons)
Most recently worn by: Jordan Lisle
Most games (Club History): David McMahon – 218
#20 – JOSH WATTS (formerly number 24 at Glenorchy)
Most recently worn by: Simon Black
Most games (Club History): Simon Black – 322
#24 – LIAM DAWSON (formerly number 38 at Aspley)
Most recently worn by: Joel Patfull
Most games (Club History): Joel Patfull – 182
#29 – JADEN McGRATH (formerly number 1 at Bendigo Pioneers)
Most recently worn by: Andrew Raines
Most games (Club History): Garry Wilson – 268
#31 – HARRIS ANDREWS (formerly number 27 at Aspley)
Most recently worn by: James Polkinghorne
Most games (Club History): Bert Clay – 157
#37 – CIAN HANLEY (formerly number 11 for County Mayo in Ireland)
Most recently worn by: Patrick Wearden
Most games (Club History): Keith Bromage – 41
#40 – MATT HAMMELMANN (formerly number 24 for Queensland)
Most recently worn by: Isaac Conway
Most games (Club History): Scott Clayton – 160
#43 – JOSH McGUINNESS (formerly number 17 at Lauderdale)
Most recently worn by: Nick Hayes
Most games (Club History): Beau McDonald – 91
#46 – BILLY EVANS (formerly number 28 for Bendigo Pioneers)
Most recently worn by: Sam Michael
Most games (Club History): Colm Begley – 29
#48 – HUGH BEASLEY (formerly number 8 for Oakleigh Chargers)
Most recently worn by: Stephen Wrigley
Most games (Club History): Ken Hinkley – 10
CLICK HERE to view the complete guernsey history at the Brisbane Lions (including Fitzroy and the Bears)
