Young trio Charlie Cameron, Mitch Grigg and Kyle Hartigan will wear new numbers in Season 2015.
Cameron, who wore No.42 in seven AFL games this year, will move into the No.23. Grigg will slide down to No.8 while Hartigan will assume No.15.
The No.23 was made famous by two-time premiership player and Norm Smith Medallist Andrew McLeod. McLeod wore the guernsey in a Club-record 340 games. The jumper was most recently worn by forward Jared Petrenko, who took it over when McLeod retired at the end of 2010. Petrenko spoke to Cameron about moving into No.23 after he departed the Club in October.
After a few unsuccessful attempts, the quietly-spoken Cameron eventually mustered up the courage to ask McLeod about wearing his former number.
“I told Charlie it’s not my jumper to give. I’m not the owner of it. I was just its custodian for a while,” the ever-humble McLeod said.
“I’m pleased that Charlie will be wearing the No.23, but I’d be happy with whoever had it. For me, it’s just nice that guys want to wear it.”
Cameron will become the fourth Crow to wear No.23 following Petrenko, McLeod and original owner Peter McIntyre. The former rookie said he was thrilled to don the number worn by his idol.
“Everyone knows how special this number is. I’m really excited to wear it because Andrew McLeod is one of the greatest players ever,” Cameron said.
“Andrew is really good to me and has helped me out a lot since I got here. I look up to him and what he has achieved on and off the field.”
The No.23 locker at Adelaide had been empty for two years when a young McLeod moved in ahead of the 1995 season. However, the legacy of the No.23 could’ve been very different.
McLeod was originally destined to wear the No.14 at Adelaide – the same number he wore for SANFL club Port Magpies. But he organised a swap with 1995 Club Champion Matt Connell for the No.23, which he wore as a junior in the Northern Territory. His father, Jock, also wore No.23 along with his sporting idol, Michael Jordan.
See the full list of players by number at the Adelaide Football Club
Grigg, who has played 14 AFL games in the No.38, will move in between Nathan van Berlo and Rory Sloane. The left-footer wore the No.8 during his junior playing days at Norwood.
Six players have worn the No.8 in an official game for the Crows; Eddie Hocking, Josh Mail, Jason McCartney, Nathan Bassett, Myke Cook and most recently Lewis Johnston.
“I wore the No.8 at Norwood and it was my premiership number. It’s always been my favourite number and I wore it growing up. We’ve got a fresh start under a new coach, so I thought why not get a fresh start with a new number as well,” Grigg said.
“I’ve got ‘Sloaney’ and ‘VB’ next door now, so hopefully I can learn a bit from them and they can take me along with them.”
Defender Kyle Hartigan’s new number also has personal significance.
The former rookie has shifted from No.41 to No.15, which his father, Jeff, wore in his playing days. The No.15 hasn’t been worn in a game for Adelaide since Brad Symes in 2012. Other Crows to wear the number are David Pittman, Adam Richardson, Ryan Fitzgerald and Jason Torney.
“My dad wore the No.15, so I thought what better reason to move. Hopefully, he gets a bit of a kick out of that,” Hartigan said.
“One of my favourite players, (Geelong star) Peter Riccardi, also wore No.15.”
New recruits Kyle Cheney and Luke Lowden, who only recently returned to the country following an overseas trip, will receive their new numbers when they arrive at the Club next week.
The remaining vacant numbers are 6, 25, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 46.
