Star recruit Ryan Griffen will wear number 32 at the GIANTS while fellow recruit Joel Patfull will don the number 24 jumper he wore at the Brisbane Lions.
The GIANTS six draftees have also been issued with their new numbers ahead of their first AFL season.
Having worn 16 for his entire career at the Western Bulldogs, it’s a fresh start for All Australian midfielder Griffen who’ll wear number 32 as a GIANT. With Nathan Wilson already wearing 16 for the GIANTS, Griffen was more than happy to take on a new number at his new club, doubling his old number of 16 to take on 32 which was vacated at the end of 2014 by Josh Hunt.
Defender Joel Patfull will continue wearing the number he played 182 games in at the Brisbane Lions, number 24. Patfull won two Brisbane club champion awards in the number in 2012 and 2013. Patfull also wore 24 for Norwood in the SANFL and was also the number his grandfather wore in his playing days. Number 24 became available when midfielder Jono O’Rourke was traded to Hawthorn.
Jarrod Pickett was selected with the GIANTS first selection in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, pick four and will wear number 26. Pickett wore number 10 in his junior days in Western Australia for Jandakot and South Fremantle, but is excited to be taking over Jon Giles old number.
Key defender Caleb Marchbank has been handed number 34 for his debut season after being selected with pick 6 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft. With jumper 34 available after the departure of Kristian Jaksch to Carlton, Marchbank is looking forward to taking over the number in 2015.
Midfielder Paul Ahern, pick 7 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, will wear number 13 for the GIANTS. Having worn jumpers 3 and 43 in juniors for Keilor and the Calder Cannons in Victoria, Ahern is more than happy to continue playing with a number 3 on his back. Ahern takes over the number 13 from former GIANT Tom Boyd.
Canberra’s Jack Steele will wear number 38 in his first year at the GIANTS after joining the club through the PM CAPITAL GIANTS Academy. Steele spent most his junior days wearing number 10 for Belconnen, but having admired former GIANT James McDonald in his time wearing 38, Steele is excited to take over the number. Interesting, Steele is also the 38th GIANTS player when the 2015 squad is listed alphabetically. He takes over this number from Stephen Gilham who retired at the end of 2014.
Young forward Pat McKenna will wear number 42 at the GIANTS. The 18-year old from Gisborne, Victoria has previously worn 17 and 45 as a junior but is looking forward to taking over 42, which was previously worn by Mark Whiley.
Young forward Jeremy Finlayson will pull on jumper 47 in his first season at the GIANTS. Finlayson joined the GIANTS as an Academy selection at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft having come through the PM CAPITAL GIANTS Academy and is excited about wearing the same number his dad wore for Culcairn (NSW Riverina) in his playing days.
