KEY recruit Bianca Jakobsson will wear No.7 for Melbourne next year, after the AFLW squad was allotted its guernsey numbers for the 2018 season.
Jakobsson, who played for Carlton in the inaugural NAB AFL Women’s season in 2017, joined Melbourne via the NAB AFL Women’s trade and signing period in May.
She has taken over the No.7 guernsey from Deanna Berry, who joined the Western Bulldogs in the off-season.
Jakobsson is one of 10 new players to join Melbourne for the 2018 season.
Former WNBL player Tegan Cunningham will don the No.1 guernsey in 2018, after it was worn by former Melbourne top-up player Elise Strachan in one AFLW this season.
Another former basketballer, Kate Hore, has been given No.10, which was the number of former Demon Sarah Jolly in 2017.
Ex-Giant, Ashleigh Guest, who played for Melbourne in the exhibition series before the AFLW competition started, has been given No.17.
Lifesaver-turned-footballer, Claudia Whitfort, has been handed No.20.
The athletic Maddy Guerin has gained the No.22 jumper, which was previously Pepa Randall’s this year.
No.25 will be worn by another Maddie in 2018, only rookie Shevlin has replaced Boyd, who has joined GWS.
Eden Zanker, who was Melbourne’s first selection in this year’s NAB AFL Women’s Draft at No.6, has received No.29.
Rookie Anna Teague, a former basketballer with the Geelong Supercats, has been given No.40.
And another rookie, Erin Hoare, who was a member of the 2014 Melbourne Vixens championship team, will wear the highest number for the Demons next year: No.46.
Three numbers, which were allotted in 2017, have not been handed out for next season. They are No.23 (previously worn by Stephanie De Bortoli), No.28 (Jessica Anderson – now at the Western Bulldogs) and No.44 (formerly Mia-Rae Clifford).
2018 Melbourne AFLW numbers
1 – Tegan Cunningham (new)
2 – Meg Downie
3 – Emma Humphries
4 – Karen Paxman
5 – Elise O’Dea
6 – Daisy Pearce
7 – Bianca Jakobsson (new)
8 – Sarah Lampard
9 – Alyssa Mifsud
10 – Kate Hore (new)
11 – Laura Duryea
12 – Shelley Scott
13 – Katherine Smith
14 – Lily Mithen
15 – Lauren Pearce
16 – Aliesha Newman
17 – Ashleigh Guest (new)
18 – Mel Hickey
19 – Jasmine Grierson
20 – Claudia Whitfort (new)
21 – Harriet Cordner
22 – Madeleine Guerin (new)
24 – Brooke Patterson
25 – Maddie Shevlin (new)
29 – Eden Zanker (new)
30 – Richelle Cranston
35 – Catherine Phillips
36 – Ainslie Kemp
40 – Anna Teague (new)
46 – Erin Hoare (new)
Note: No.23, No.26, No.27, No.28, No.31, No.32, No.33, No.34, No.37, No.38, No.39, No.41, No.42, No.43, No.44, No.45 have not been allotted
