New recruit Brent Moloney, who was signed as a restricted free agent over the off-season, inherited arguably the most celebrated jumper (and subsequent locker) when the Club allocated him Senior Coach Michael Voss’ famous #3.
But Voss isn’t the only past player to have done the #3 proud, with former Fitzroy Best and Fairest (now Collingwood CEO) Gary Pert playing 153 matches in that particular guernsey.
Moloney made public his desire to don the famed #3 Lions guernsey on Twitter last month, and was thrilled to receive the honour.
“Vossy’s a player I looked up to, and someone that I have tried to play like,” Moloney told lions.com.au.
“It’s a great honour to be able to wear that number - it’s a famous number for both Fitzroy and the Lions, so I am very excited to do it proud.”
He said even the availability of his old #22 following Ben Hudson’s retirement wasn’t enough to affect his decision.
“I thought about it - I wore 32 at Geelong and then 22 at Melbourne, but I just thought a fresh start and a new number would be good. And when a famous number like the #3 comes up - I was pretty keen to take it.”
Moloney’s former Melbourne teammate, Stefan Martin, has also followed in the footsteps of former champions after opting to wear the #12, which is most synonymous at the Lions with Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis and popular Fitzroy figure (now AFLQ CEO) Michael Conlan.
Akermanis and Conlan share the record of most Club matches in the #12 (with 210 apiece), while 1922 Fitzroy Premiership Captain Chris Lethbridge also appears on the locker door having played 148 senior matches in that particular guernsey.
Martin, who met his new Lions teammates for the first time on Monday, said he was looking forward to securing his own piece of Club history.
“I’m really happy to be here with the Brisbane Lions and being in amongst this great group of guys,” Martin told lions.com.au.
“I’ll try to do the number 12 proud - and I’ll definitely try not to get into as much trouble as Aka when he was in it!”
Meanwhile, Rohan Bewick has traded in his former #43 guernsey for the more fashionable #8.
Bewick played 28 matches in the #43 across his first two AFL seasons to sit second (behind Beau McDonald) on the guernsey’s all-time games list, but will now continue the legacy created by past greats such as Tim Notting, Chris Smith, Jim Wynd and Hall of Fame inductee Bill Stephen.
He has also farewelled his 2012 locker neighbours Justin Clarke (#42) and Aaron Cornelius (#44), and moved between Club veterans Jed Adock (#7) and Ash McGrath (#9).
The West Australian said the #8 guernsey had far greater significance for him and his family.
“I played in #8 for West Perth before I came to the Brisbane Lions, and my uncle Darren Bewick played in #8 for Essendon,” Bewick revealed.
“So when the number came up, I was keen to change. The only downside is now I have to sit at a locker next to Ash McGrath, so I don’t know if it’s a good move from that perspective.”
Interestingly, Bewick becomes the third Lions player to have moved into the #8 over the past four years - following Matt Austin (from Number 37 in 2010) and Bryce Retzlaff (from Number 37 in 2012).
The three jumper allocations mean that just seven numbers remain unoccupied ahead of the upcoming AFL National and Rookie Drafts - 22, 27, 32, 33, 39, 43 and 45.
2013 GUERNSEY ALLOCATIONS (SO FAR)
#3 - Brent Moloney
#8 - Rohan Bewick (formerly #43)
#12 - Stefan Martin
100+ GAME PLAYERS IN THE #3, #8 AND #12 GUERNSEY
#3
283 - Michael Voss (Bears/Lions) - also played six games in the #56
153 - Gary Pert (Fitzroy) - also played 10 games in the #43
125 - Brian Pert (Fitzroy)
112 - Arthur Batchelor (Fitzroy)
#8
191 - Tim Notting (Lions) - also played 17 games in the #39
162 - Bill Stephen (Fitzroy)
142 - Chris Smith (Fitzroy) - also played 21 games in the #35
116 - Jim Wynd (Fitzroy) - also played 19 games in the #30, and two games in the #58
#12
210 - Michael Conlan (Fitzroy)
210 - Jason Akermanis (Lions) - also played 21 games in the #20, and 17 games in the #35
148 - Chris Lethbridge (Fitzroy)
