Player Numbers

[Adelaide Hawk]

Spelly,

The VFL began putting numbers on jumpers from 1911. Do you know which year the SANFL began doing this? I know they were wearing numbers in 1914.

[spell_check]

John Storer's 1st part of West Torrens shows that the earliest guernsey numbers were in 1913. The only known number for Torrens in 1913 was William Hutton with no.1 and Dave Low with no.2.

[Adelaide Hawk]

That's interesting.

The reason I ask is because I haven't seen any football budgets prior to 1914, but in the Advertiser for the 1912 GF, they listed the teams and had numbers next to each name. I assumed they may have been guernsey numbers, but I couldn't be sure.

I think I will contact the SANFL and see if they know for sure.

Does that West Torrens book list numbers for players? I'm looking for the number Stan "Bub" Smith wore for West Torrens in the 1948 Grand Final.

[spell_check]

It does say that numbers weren't worn until circa 1913, so it could have been player numbers in the Advertiser.

And in 1948, there were two players that had "Not Recorded" under player numbers - Stan Smith was one of them.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Who was the other one? I could tell you that if he played in the Grand Final.

[spell_check]

Leslie Thompson - he only played one match, in Round 9.

Smith played one other match in 1948, Round 1.

[Leaping Lindner]

These photos are from round 1 in 1913. North vs West at Adelaide Oval .Dont know the players are.....yet!

[brod]

Spelly, do you have any information about the highest numbers that have been worn in league competitions?

[spell_check]

Spelly, do you have any information about the highest numbers that have been worn in league competitions?

Unfortunately no, but I recall a couple of West players a few years ago with numbers in the 60s.

[smac]

Earl Shaw finished the game in guernsey 61 after spilling blood on his starting guernsey (19).

Dogs have 61 lockers, but not all are allocated (to my recollection, 61 has never been allocated).

[Adelaide Hawk]

Spelly, do you have any information about the highest numbers that have been worn in league competitions?

Not sure if this is the highest, but Andrew Purchase played 2 games in number 77 for West Adelaide in 2004.

[spell_check]

Spelly, do you have any information about the highest numbers that have been worn in league competitions?

Not sure if this is the highest, but Andrew Purchase played 2 games in number 77 for West Adelaide in 2004.

Yeah, I thought there was some 70s in there too. I recall one player had a guernsey number which was higher than his playing weight!