Star recruit Bryce Gibbs will wear the No.6 at Adelaide next season.
Gibbs joined the Crows from Carlton in last month’s AFL Trade Period.
The classy midfielder wore the No.4 in 231 games for the Blues.
He’ll shuffle down a couple of lockers at the Crows to take over No.6, which was vacated by Jake Lever (Melbourne).
Gibbs identified a few reasons for picking No.6, including his adulation of Tony Modra as a kid and the fact that one of his best mates, Carlton veteran Kade Simpson, also dons the number.
Friend and Crows teammate Sam Jacobs, who also started his career with the Blues, had another theory.
After the trade to send Gibbs to Adelaide was done, Jacobs texted his former housemate explaining the numerology behind the jumper change.
“Sauce had an interesting one,” Gibbs said.
“He said, ‘No.2, my old man’s number at Glenelg, plus No.4, my number at the Blues, equals No.6.”
Ross Gibbs played 253 games for the Bays including the 1985 and 1986 premierships. He also made 97 appearances for West Perth and represented Western Australia at state level.
Former North Melbourne wingman Sam Gibson has taken the No.20 at Adelaide.
The number became available after promoted rookie Hugh Greenwood moved into locker No.1.
Like Gibbs, Gibson became a Crow on the final day of the exchange period.
The hard-running recruit wore the No.43 in 130-consecutive games for the Kangaroos.
Greenwood was one of three existing Crows to change numbers for Season 2018.
Reigning Club Champion Matt Crouch accepted Scott Thompson’s offer to take No.5, while untried midfielder Myles Poholke returns to a number (10) he wore in his draft year.
The remainder of Adelaide’s numbers will be finalised after the Rookie Draft on November 27.
Famous numbers 23, 32 and 36 are among the numbers available to the Club’s draftees.
2018 new numbers:
Bryce Gibbs – No.6
Sam Gibson – No.20
Matt Crouch – No.5 (from No.44)
Hugh Greenwood – No.1 (from No.20)
Myles Poholke – No.10 (from No.31)
Remaining numbers: 23, 28*, 31, 32, 36, 44
*No.28 belongs to Cam Ellis-Yolmen, who has been delisted but been guaranteed a spot on Adelaide’s rookie list next season if he’s not selected by another club
