Interest surrounds new numbers
With a glut of iconic jumpers available this year's number announcement is creating a lot of interest
Of most interest will be who will wear the Cats most famous number of 5.
Up for grabs for new recruits will be jumpers 1, 5, 12, 15, 19, 28, 31, 38, 42 and 45.
Jumper number "1" has an illustrious history with it last being worn in a premiership in 2007 by former skipper and best and fairest winner Steven King. Other famous number ‘1’ at the Cats include 1951/1952 premiership player and best and fairest winner Bruce Morrison and current General Manager of Commercial Operations Steve Hocking who played 199 games in the blue and white.
Where do you start with number "5". The greatest of all time Gary Ablett perhaps shades fellow AFL team of the century member Polly Farmer. But maybe not. That’s a discussion for another day. But add to those the previous wearer Travis Varcoe and former full back Gary Malarkey and you have a number with a lot of blue and white history.
Jumper number “12” is also up for grabs. Dual 1951/1952 premiership player, captain and former club president Ron Hovey is perhaps the club’s most famous player to be draped in the dozen. Nuggety back pocket Brad Sholl wore it for 169 games and 2011 premiership ruckman Trent West wore it with pride for his 54 games.
Next up is number “15” worn most famously by the permed mullet of Peter Riccardi. Equal fourth on the games played list, Riccardi is remembered for his dashing runs, booming left foot and his amazing post siren goal against the Blues. Add to Riccardi, Colin Rice a former captain, 1963 premiership player and best and fairest winner as well as Geoff Mahon who in just 82 games won a premiership and a best and fairest.
Number “19” is an interesting jumper. It hasn’t had a lot of big name or well credentialed players in it but the ones who have were outstanding. Nuggety red-headed midfielder Neville Bruns played 223 games wearing the number including the day Leigh Matthews took offence to his jaw and tried to re-model it. The other famous 19 was George ‘Jocka’ Todd who ran around in 232 games for the Cats racking up two flags and three best and fairest awards.
Whoever dons the number “28” in 2015 will be carrying a lot of premiership legacy with them including names such as Nipper Trezise, Arthur Rayson and Angie Muller. Not to mention Allen Christensen who was the most recent premiership Cat in “28”.
Number “31” has been a number worn by a couple of cult hero forwards including James Podsiadly and David Mensch as well as 1963 premiership full back Roy West who also won a best and fairest.
Some Cat will have the chance to make jumper number “38” their own in 2015. The most games played in the jumper was Austin McCrabb who wore it 35 times but no Cat has managed to reach any milestone or play in a premiership so far.
Much the same, jumper number “42” is a blank canvas that could blossom into a historical higher number such as Corey Enright in 44 or Cameron Ling in his jumper, our next available…
Think of the number “45” and you think of those flowing red locks belonging to 2011 premiership captain Cameron Ling. Only five players have worn “45” in an AFL game with two of them, Andrew Wills and Robert Scott, moving up to a single figure guernsey soon afterwards.
So now the wait begins. Mitch Clark, Rhys Stanley, Sam Blease and Padraig Lucey will all have their numbers revealed at the first training session on November 17 whilst the Cats newest draftees will have theirs not long after the November 27 national draft.