From Demonology:

"PLAYER NUMBERS

The media guy said they will be coming out in the next week, but those who have been saying Blease and Strauss and co will get 46,47 etc are WRONG! He said when i asked him this quote"

nugget do you no if there training tomorow.

hey mate, sorry i didnt see this til today. the next training from now is on at friday morning at casey

These numbers are on the melbournefc.com.au site so we can take them as (more or less) official:

1 Buckley, Simon

2 Jones, Nathan

3 Bartram, Clint

4 Watts, Jack

5 McLean, Brock

6 Bate, Matthew

7 Miller, Brad

8 Frawley, James

10 Morton, Cale

11 Johnson, Paul A.

12 Sylvia, Colin

14 Dunn, Lynden

15 Petterd, Ricky

16 Grimes, Jack

18 Green, Brad

19 Maric, Addam

20 Garland, Colin

21 Bell, Daniel

22 Moloney, Brent

23 McDonald, James

24 Robertson, Russell

25 Cheney, Kyle

26 Meesen, John

27 Rivers, Jared

29 Newton, Michael

30 McNamara, Tom

31 Wheatley, Paul

32 Bruce, Cameron

33 Wonaeamirri, Austin

34 Martin, Stefan

35 Zomer, Trent

36 Davey, Aaron

37 Warnock, Matthew

38 Hughes, Daniel

39 Jetta, Neville

40 Jamar, Mark

41 Bail, Rohan

42 Spencer, Jake

43 Bennell, Jamie

43 Blease, Sam

44 Valenti, Shane

45 Whelan, Matthew

47 Strauss, James

48 Jurrah, Liam

49 McKenzie, Jordie

50 Healey, Rhys

Zomer wore 35 and Spencer 42 in season 2008, so its fair to assume they'll continue in those numbers in 09.

FWIW i'd prefer Martin and Wona to keep their respective 33 and 39 in 09.

The numbers quoted above are correct according to the AFL Record Season Guide which is now available.

Surely 17 and 28 could be allocated to Strauss and Blease? Both were high enough draft picks to be allocated lower numbers...

Surely 17 and 28 could be allocated to Strauss and Blease? Both were high enough draft picks to be allocated lower numbers...

Also, it's my understanding Blease and Strauss both wore 28 and 17 respectively at the National Champs for Vic Metro. Makes sense they play in those numbers next year, given both numbers are vacant...

I wouldn't take the numbers on the MFC website as confirmation yet. All the new players except Watts have been slotted in at the end of the list (around Valenti, Jamar, Whelan and Spencer who are already up there). It would seem odd if all the lower vacant numbers were left alone and all the new players got numbers from 39 up.

Every number should be available except for Neitz's 9. But then maybe that should be available also.

I think people read to much into retiring a jumper for a season. Only the Troy Bradbridge situation should be excepted.

So 9,13,17,28,34 and onwards should be up for grabs with the draft order to choose.

Thank god they didn't fill no 28 jumper big shoe's to fill there. What a joke making the kids earn a low number the way we played last year the experienced players should be made to earn a low number.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...4-19769,00.html

so i guess that this whole "idigenous number" thing is going to happen. it seems stupid considering we also have whelan, davey, jurrah, bennell and jetta on our list.

also, apparantly at one stage last year (source needed), number 39 was our second highest selling number behind 36. I feel sorry for the kids that got their mum to sew on 39 only to find out that Aussie has changed numbers.

On that note, stefan martin is also going to have to change to number 34.

I like the idea of embracing our heritage and history, but I also like the way that a player is able to carve their own history, with whichever number that they want to play in.

I like the idea of embracing our heritage and history, but I also like the way that a player is able to carve their own history, with whichever number that they want to play in.

Surely it's up to the individual, the availability of certain numbers, and the prevailing attitude from coaching staff?

I can remember players being coy about claiming Robert Flower's #2 until Steven Tingay came along and leapt at the chance to wear it.

If you have a past champion (e.g. #5 at Geelong) what do you do - leave the number vacant because it has a formidable history? While I'd love to see a player strike out and claim the #99 (as I've said in an earlier post) it's a conservative culture with valuable traditions (tradition is just about all we've got apart from a promising young list).

To take up your point though, there's a challenge around certain numbers such as #26 and #37 which are yet to become legendary, while others, such as #3 and #27 have a rich recent history.

The #13 was a strange one until Allen Jakovich, and then Adem Yze made it a blue-chip number. I'd love to see somebody adding to this (growing) tradition. Why not Blease or, even better, Jurrah?

From memory, our list of high number legends/cult favourites is pretty short - #41 Peter Rohde, #42 Peter Walsh, #43 Guy Rigoni, #45 Mathew Whelan (can't think of any others).

These numbers are on the melbournefc.com.au site so we can take them as (more or less) official:

1 Buckley, Simon

2 Jones, Nathan

3 Bartram, Clint

4 Watts, Jack

5 McLean, Brock

6 Bate, Matthew

7 Miller, Brad

8 Frawley, James

10 Morton, Cale

11 Johnson, Paul A.

12 Sylvia, Colin

14 Dunn, Lynden

15 Petterd, Ricky

16 Grimes, Jack

18 Green, Brad

19 Maric, Addam

20 Garland, Colin

21 Bell, Daniel

22 Moloney, Brent

23 McDonald, James

24 Robertson, Russell

25 Cheney, Kyle

26 Meesen, John

27 Rivers, Jared

29 Newton, Michael

30 McNamara, Tom

31 Wheatley, Paul

32 Bruce, Cameron

33 Wonaeamirri, Austin

34 Martin, Stefan

35 Zomer, Trent

36 Davey, Aaron

37 Warnock, Matthew

38 Hughes, Daniel

39 Jetta, Neville

40 Jamar, Mark

41 Bail, Rohan

42 Spencer, Jake

43 Bennell, Jamie

43 Blease, Sam44 Valenti, Shane

45 Whelan, Matthew

47 Strauss, James

48 Jurrah, Liam

49 McKenzie, Jordie

50 Healey, Rhys

:D