Draftee Xavier O’Halloran will take the number of his 1954 Premiership winning grandfather as the jumper numbers of eight new players are revealed for 2019. 

The GIANTS’ pick 22 at the recent NAB AFL Draft, the midfielder will honour his grandfather Ron McCarthy by wearing the number 33 jumper on his back as he begins his own football career with the GIANTS.

McCarthy played 42 games for Footscray in the then-VFL from 1953-1956, including the club’s 1954 Premiership triumph, which was the only flag for Footscray/Western Bulldogs until the 2016 drought-breaking victory.

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McCarthy passed away in 1989 but O’Halloran has chosen to honour his grandfather’s career across his own, wearing the number 33 for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup and now continuing the tradition at the GIANTS.

The GIANTS’ first pick at last week’s draft, Jye Caldwell, will wear number five on his back after it became vacant for the first time in the club’s history with foundation player Dylan Shiel moving to Essendon.

The 18-year-old from the Bendigo Pioneers plays in a similar mould to the former GIANT. Powerful, explosive and damaging, number 11 pick Caldwell is an excitement machine around stoppages.

South Australian draftee and number 14 pick Jackson Hately will wear number nine, which was his favourite number as a child and one he wore playing local football. 

The jumper has become available after Tom Scully moved to Hawthorn during the off-season.

Delisted free agent Tommy Sheridan, who crossed from Fremantle following the end of the 2018 season, will take the number 11 jumper which is the same number he wore during his seven-year career at the Dockers. 

Western Sydney GIANTS Academy graduate Kieren Briggs wore 44 on his back while playing NEAFL for the GIANTS in 2018 but has chosen 32 to officially begin his career at the club.

While he hasn’t had a connection to the number in the past, the hulking ruckman chose the number due to a superstition that sees him prefer even numbers.

Indigenous small forward Ian “Bobby” Hill will take the number 37 jumper vacated by fellow West Australian Rory Lobb. The number 37 has become famous in AFL circles, particularly in Sydney, with Swans and Indigenous legend Adam Goodes donning the same number. 

Tall prospect Connor Idun will get to keep the same number he wore for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup and representing Vic Country, taking over the 39 jumper that formerly belonged to Tim Mohr.

Irish recruit Callum Brown rounds out the new numbers after selecting 46 to wear as he makes the cross from Gaelic football to the AFL. 

2019 Playing Numbers

1 - Phil Davis

2 - Jacob Hopper

3 - Stephen Coniglio

4 - Toby Greene

5 - Jye Caldwell

6 - Lachie Whitfield

7 - Brett Deledio

8 - Callan Ward

9 - Jackson Hately

10 - Aiden Bonar

11 - Tommy Sheridan

12 - Jonny Patton

13 - Isaac Cumming

14 - Tim Taranto

15 - Sam Taylor

16 - Brent Daniels

17 - Zac Langdon

18 - Jeremy Cameron

19 - Nick Haynes

20 - Adam Tomlinson

21 - Matt Buntine

22 - Josh Kelly

23 - Heath Shaw

24 - Matt de Boer

25 - Lachie Keeffe

26 - Dawson Simpson

27 - Harry Himmelberg

28 - Zach Sproule

29 - Zac Williams

30 - Matt Flynn

31 - Jeremy Finlayson

32 - Kieren Briggs

33 - Xavier O’Halloran

34 - Nick Shipley

35 - Aidan Corr

36 - Harry Perryman

37 - Ian "Bobby" Hill

38 - Daniel Lloyd

39 - Connor Idun

40 - Adam Kennedy

42 - Jake Stein

43 - Dylan Buckley

44 - Jack Buckley

46 - Callum Brown

50 - Sam Reid