The Numbers Game

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by goswannie14
There's no significance to the allocation of numbers. It doesn't mean a thing, unless your dad or uncla maybe played wearing a certain number. but I guess this thread helps fill in the no football season.

We went through this last year didn't we?

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
We went through this last year didn't we?

Don't know I wasn't here. What was the conclusion???

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by goswannie14
Don't know I wasn't here. What was the conclusion???

There was no general consensus. Suprisingly, no one seemed to move from their original position, despite the strengths or various argument. It could have all ended in name calling IIRC

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
There was no general consensus. Suprisingly, no one seemed to move from their original position, despite the strengths or various argument. It could have all ended in name calling IIRC

IIRC some teams in the past, Collingwood being one, used to give whoever captained the team the number 1 jumper. I thnk that stopped sometime in the 60's-70's, I'm not sure when exactly.

Some other clubs have retired numbers for indefinite amounts of time. I don't agree with many of those retirements, although Hawthorn retired Peter Crimmonds number 5 after his death to testicular cancer, I thought that was very appropriate.

On the retirement of some of our clubs numbers. Maybe one year for a senior player who has retired, but to keep number 14 in mothballs indefinitely, I don't agree with it, but that's just my opinion.

I can hear the replying posts being typed to howl me down as I click the mouse button to post these thoughts.

[Nico]

I reckon they should start the numbers at 50+.

Just look at these stars for starters who wore their jumpers with distinction.

1. Paul Briglia in the 60's. Great reserves player who deserved to have no.1 put in mothballs fore ever.
2. Dermott Brererton - say no more . Sensational 1 season.
3. Brian McGowan - understudy to Skilts. Could have been anything if Skilts had stuck to lawn bowls. His patience was enought to retire no.3.
4 Merv Neagle - One of my favs and who can forget the great Dean McRae.
5. O'Keefe when he chucks it in.
6. Bolton C ditto.
7. Denis Caroll that soft outside half back. Great clubman though so why not retire 7.
8. Ray Lucev a boom recruit from the West. Retire the jumper on his 1 great moment. A goal on his wrong foot hard up against the behind post. Also ironed out Hassa Mann with a Beautiful knee to the jaw.
9. Moose Henwood. How good was he.
10. Garry Brice?
11 Papley and Bedford.
12. Craig Braddy. Kicked 5 goals in a game once.
13 Daniel McPherson - Frosty gave us great moments to ponder.
14. No notable wearers of this jumper.
15 Des Bethke - left foot half forward flanker who had a turning circle as big as Fleminton race course. Kicked some wonderful goals and will always be remembered.

Then to the greatest of them all.
no21 John Pitura. A wonderful left foot kick from HBF known for his superb loyalty. The case for retiring this jumper is we traded him for a Brownlow Medallist and he went onto an inglorious career at Richmond and disappeared into the big black hole of football oblivion.

So a case can be made for every jumper if you try hard enough.

[goswannie14]

Gary Brice wore number 7. He was a great bloke, a capable footballer, who went on to coach Port Melbourne to at least one VFA premiership.

Also lived in Vermont South and shopped where I worked after school, in my cheersquad days, he would always make a point of saying hello when he saw me at work.

[Nico]

Thats why I had a ? next to him. Bad miss by me. Of course he was 7.

Just another case for retiring 7.

[goswannie14]

Every number that was worn when a Brownlow should be retired.

Any number worn by a digger killed whilst serving the country should be retired.

Any life members number should be retired.

I propose that all numbers be prefixed with a number 1 so that numbers would start at 100, so Hally would be 101 Davis 102 etc