Hawthorn has unveiled its jumper numbers for season 2021, with 14 Hawks set for new guernseys.
Exciting second-year defender Will Day will don the number 12 left vacant following the departure of fellow backman James Frawley – someone he considered a mentor during his first 12 months in the AFL system.
However, Day’s connection to the number 12 runs far deeper – half a century deeper in fact; his grandfather Rob Day wore the number 12 guernsey across his 38-game playing career in the 1970s, including the 1971 premiership.
“It’s really special for me and my family,” Day said, reflecting on the news.
“It was (grandpa’s) number when he was at the club.
“The guernsey that he wore in the ’71 premiership is hanging up at home. I’ve looked up to it and hope that I can get a premiership for myself wearing the same number now.”
“Coming to Hawthorn, being able to wear Grandpa’s number became more realistic.
“I’m really happy about it.”
Day is one of seven Hawks set for a change in 2021.
James Cousins will don the number 24 left vacant by retiring Captain Ben Stratton, shifting from the number 46 he’s worn across his first four seasons at the club.
Young Indigenous Hawk Harry Pepper will wear the number 33, made famous by four-time premiership superstar Cyril Rioli.
Oliver Hanrahan (13), Damon Greaves (30), Keegan Brooksby (31) and Ned Reeves (37) will all be the custodians of new jumper numbers in 2021.
Of the recruits, dashing wingman Tom Phillips will slip into Isaac Smith’s number 16, while Kyle Hartigan will take the reins from Paul Puopolo in the number 28.
The crop of 2020 draftees have also received their first guernsey numbers in the brown and gold, with Denver Grainger-Barras (38), Seamus Mitchell (40), Connor Downie (41), Tyler Brockman (42) and Jack Saunders (43) rounding out the number allocations.
See the full guernsey number list for 2021 below:
Harry Morrison: #1
Mitch Lewis: #2
Tom Mitchell: #3
Jarman Impey: #4
James Worpel: #5
James Sicily: #6
Ben McEvoy: #7
Sam Frost: #8
Shaun Burgoyne: #9
Jaeger O’Meara: #10
Conor Nash: #11
Will Day: #12
Oliver Hanrahan: #13
Jack Scrimshaw: #14
Blake Hardwick: #15
Tom Phillips: #16
Dan Howe: #17
Jonathon Ceglar: #18
Jack Gunston: #19
Chad Wingard: #20
Tom Scully: #21
Luke Breust: #22
Tim O’Brien: #23
James Cousins: #24
Jonathon Patton: #25
Liam Shiels: #26
Michael Hartley: #27
Kyle Hartigan: #28
Changkuoth Jiath: #29
Damon Greaves: #30
Keegan Brooksby: #31
Finn Maginess: #32
Harry Pepper: #33
Jacob Koschitzke: #34
Josh Morris: #35
Dylan Moore: #36
Ned Reeves: #37
Denver Grainger-Barras: #38
Emerson Jeka: #39
Seamus Mitchell: #40
Connor Downie: #41
Tyler Brockman: #42
Jack Saunders: #43
