The number three guernsey is steeped in history at the Geelong Football Club, and nobody embodies that history and success quite like the Cats 1963 Premiership captain, Fred Wooller.
Across a nine year career in the Hoops, Wooller played 132 games and led the Cats goal-kicking on three different occasions.
He also captured a Carji Greeves Medal in 1960, to go with his Premiership medallion as he led the Cats to the 1963 flag alongside coach, Bob Davis.
All of Wooller's on field success was done with the number three on his back, today getting the chance to present the guernsey to Bailey Smith, after it was announced that the new recruit will wear the famous number in 2025.
"It was a fantastic privilege to be asked to present the guernsey," Wooller told Cats Media.
"I have had a good association with the previous number three's, particularly Jimmy Bartel. Unfortunately I was away when I was asked to present his, but I did write him a letter to wish him well and hoped one day he would walk off the MCG with a premiership cup like I did. He did better than that, he won a Norm Smith and a Brownlow, that has been a lovely association with the number three.
"It is nice to see another number three, but a highly credentialed player like Bailey is something that the club is going to benefit from. You can see him being an important part in the structure of the club right around the ground.
"Bailey has got that brilliance; he has the acceleration, the burst, he can manoeuvre the ball and kicks it well on both feet I think from my knowledge. I think he will bring a lot to the club, particularly going forward."
Smith is set to carry on the tradition in the number three guernsey, following in the footsteps of club greats like Wooller, Jimmy Bartel and Mark Bairstow.
The Cats new recruit said it is an honour to receive the number from a legend of the club.
"It was awesome, it is an absolute honour," Smith said.
"Fred is a ripper and I have heard lots of great things about him around the club. It is awesome, I am super humbled and privileged to firstly meet him, but also to be able to wear his number.
"It was good having a chat to him about the 1963 Premiership as well."
Smith also touched on what it means to wear such a significant number, particularly with the success certain players have achieved across their career.
"It fills me with a lot of pride, but there is a lot of pressure too which is a good thing," Smith said.
"You see people like Brandan Parfitt most recently, Jimmy Bartel, Fred himself and Mark Bairstow as well that have donned the number.
"There are a couple of premierships there and a lot of success, it is certainly exciting but something I want to keep continuing the tradition and doing the number justice."
