MELBOURNE has allocated the rest of its jumper numbers for 2017, with the club’s first pick in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, Mitch Hannan, set to wear No.19 next year.
Hannan, who was selected at No.46, will don the No.19 jumper left vacant by midfielder Ben Newton.
Ray Biffin, who played 170 matches for Melbourne from 1968-79 and led the club’s goalkicking in 1976, wore No.19 in 165 matches for the club.
Dion Johnstone, Melbourne’s second and final pick in the NAB AFL Draft at No.68, will wear No.37, which was worn by Aaron vandenBerg in 2015-16.
vandenBerg has moved up to 22 for 2017, after it was previously worn by Viv Michie. Dual premiership player Bryan Kenneally, Brownlow Medal winner Shane Woewodin and former skipper Shane McGrath all wore No.22 for Melbourne.
Jim Stynes and Max Gawn previously wore No.37, along with 1964 premiership player Bernie Massey, who donned the number in 99 games for the club from 1960-67.
After being vacant in 2016, No.38 will be worn by rookie Tim Smith, who was selected at No.25 in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft. High-flyer Jeremy Howe, now at Collingwood, was the most recent to wear No.38, having played 100 games for Melbourne from 2011-15.
Declan Keilty, who claimed the final spot on Melbourne’s list, after being picked at No.41 in the Rookie Draft, has been given No.45, which was worn by Matt Jones for the past four seasons.
Tough-nut Matthew Whelan played 150 matches for Melbourne from 2000-09 in the No.45 jumper.
Developing ruckman Lachie Filipovic, who was Melbourne’s first pick in the Rookie Draft at No.8, will wear No.47, which big man Max King had for the past three years.
Defender Alan Jarrott played 91 matches for Melbourne from 1982-86 in the No.47 guernsey.
As previously mentioned, Jordan Lewis will wear No.6.
The four-time Hawthorn premiership player has moved up three numbers, after wearing No.3 in 264 matches for the brown and gold from 2005-16. Former key forward Chris Dawes wore No.6 for Melbourne in 2016.
Ex-captain Frank Davis, club finals record holder Frank Adams and best and fairest winner Glenn Lovett are among the players to have worn No.6 for Melbourne.
Ex-Bomber Michael Hibberd, who like Lewis, joined the club in the trade period, will wear No.14, which became vacant after the long-serving Lynden Dunn switched to Collingwood in the off-season.
Dual Brownlow Medal winner Ivor Warne-Smith, popular Demon Rod Grinter and four-time premiership player Trevor Johnson, who recently passed away, are among those to have donned No.14 for the red and blue.
Former Australian under-19 cricket captain and ex-Giant Pat McKenna has been given No.40, which was vacant in 2016.
No.40 was most recently worn by former ruckman Mark Jamar, who played with Essendon this year.
Rookie Corey Maynard – the son of former Demon Peter and brother of Magpie Brayden – has been handed No.48.
Jack Fitzpatrick, who was recently redrafted for a second season with Hawthorn, was the most recent player to wear No.48 for Melbourne in 2015.
Jamar (155 games) and Fitzpatrick (22) hold the record for the most Melbourne matches in their respective guernsey numbers.
Only two numbers haven’t been allocated from No.1 to No.48 next year – No.31 and No.46. They were most recently worn by former co-captain Jack Grimes (No.31) and ex-defender Dean Terlich (No.46).
2016 Melbourne numbers
1 – Jesse Hogan
2 – Nathan Jones
3 – Christian Salem
4 – Jack Watts
5 –Christian Petracca
6 – Jordan Lewis (new player)
7 – Jack Viney
8 – Heritier Lumumba
9 – Jack Trengove
10 – Angus Brayshaw
11 – Max Gawn
12 – Dom Tyson
13 – Clayton Oliver
14 – Michael Hibberd (new player)
15 – Billy Stretch
16 – Dean Kent
17 – Sam Frost
18 – Jake Melksham
19 – Mitch Hannan (new player)
20 – Colin Garland
21 – Cameron Pedersen
22 – Aaron vandenBerg (previously wore No.37 in 2016)
23 – Bernie Vince
24 – Jay Kennedy-Harris
25 – Tom McDonald
26 – Sam Weideman
27 – Liam Hulett
28 – Oscar McDonald
29 – Jayden Hunt
30 – Alex Neal-Bullen
31 – Not allocated
32 – Tomas Bugg
33 – Jake Spencer
34 – Mitch King
35 – Ben Kennedy
36 – Jeff Garlett
37 – Dion Johnstone (new player)
38 – Tim Smith (new player)
39 – Neville Jetta
40 – Pat McKenna (new player)
41 – Mitchell White
42 – Josh Wagner
43 – James Harmes
44 – Joel Smith
45 – Declan Keilty (new player)
46 – Not allocated
47 – Lachie Filipovic (new player)
48 – Corey Maynard (joined the club late in the 2016 season)
