Brisbane Lions Captain Dayne Beams is one nine players to be allocated a change of jumper number for Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.

Dayne Beams will switch the usual No. 9 on the back of his guernsey for the No. 50 when his Lions take on Collingwood on Sunday at the MCG. 

The number change is in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the referendum to include Indigenous Australians in the census.

Beams is just the sixth player to don the No. 50, with Fitzroy cult figure Darren Wheildon the most notable player to wear the number. Wheildon played a total of 70 games for Fitzroy but only six matches in the No. 50 guernsey.  

Cedric Cox will be the Lions’ travelling emergency.

If selected as a late inclusion, Cox will wear No. 67 and make his own piece of Club history.

No Fitzroy, Bears or Lions player has ever worn a number higher than No. 58 since Fitzroy Football Club formed in 1883.

The AFL’s annual round recognising and celebrating Indigenous players and culture is named in honour of Sir Doug Nicholls.

Sir Doug, who epitomised the spirit of reconciliation, played 54 games for Fitzroy and was a brilliant all-round athlete. The first Aboriginal person to be knighted, he also served as Governor of South Australia and was devoted to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This year, Brisbane based artist Janelle McQueen was selected to design the 2017 Brisbane Lions Indigenous guernsey.