THE Port Adelaide Football Club has released its player jumper numbers for 2010.
Four players have changed numbers from last season, while 11 new players will line up in the Power strip for the first time.
Power fans will have to look twice to recognise the players in the number 5, 7 and 8 jumpers, with long-time owners Brendon Lade (eight years in #5), Peter Burgoyne (10 years in #7) and Shaun Burgoyne (eight years in #8) not suiting up in 2010.
Young midfielder Matthew Broadbent inherits Lade’s #5 jumper, while Nathan Krakouer receives Peter Burgoyne’s #7 and Hamish Hartlett takes up Shaun Burgoyne’s #8. In another change livewire elevated rookie Wade Thompson takes Mitch Farmer’s former #13 jumper.
Broadbent, 19, and Krakouer, 21, were nominated by Lade and Peter Burgoyne respectively as the favoured candidates to take their long-time jumper numbers.
Krakouer said: "It's a great honour that Peter has asked me to take on his number seven guernsey. He's been an outstanding servant of the Port Adelaide Football Club and a great representative of the indigenous community and if I can achieve half of what Peter has accomplished I'll be very satisfied.”
Broadbent said it was a great privilege to be able to wear Lade's #5 guernsey.
“Ladey approached me at the end of last season and asked me if I'd like to take on his number five guernsey. He knew I had come from a very traditional Port Adelaide family and with many past champions of the club wearing number five it is just so special that I've been given this opportunity,” Broadbent said.
Hartlett, 19, described the chance to take on the #8 guernsey vacated by Shaun Burgoyne as a “huge thrill”.
“Shaun played over 150 games for the club, including a premiership, so I take on his number with great pride and excitement,” Hartlett said.
In other senior list changes, Jay Nash takes Hartlett’s former #22, Andrew Moore gets #26, Jay Schulz will wear Toby Thurstans #28 and John Butcher will pull on #32, while Scott Harding adopts the #38.
In other club news, Jasper McMillan-Pittard - who will take the #29 jumper - has decided to shorten his name to Jasper Pittard. Pittard says the decision to shorten his name was made after consultation with his family.
"Shortening my name to simply Jasper Pittard is something I've been thinking about for a while,” he said.
“The reason for the change is very simple. I thought my hyphenated surname was too long and I really just wanted to shorten it for simplicity sake. I think all football commentators will be pretty happy with my decision as well.
“The surname Pittard is from my father's side and as is the case with most families I thought it most appropriate to take on his surname. Mum totally understands and has been extremely supported of my decision.”
The complete list of new Power jumper numbers is below. Dom Cassisi’s #25 jumper remains retired while he wears the Port Adelaide captain’s #1 guernsey.
Summary of new numbers:
Changed numbers (4):
#5 Matthew Broadbent (previously #32)
#7 Nathan Krakouer (previously #29)
#8 Hamish Hartlett (previously #22)
#13 Wade Thompson (previously #37)
New players (11):
#22 Jay Nash#26 Andrew Moore
#28 Jay Schulz
#29 Jasper Pittard
#32 John Butcher
#37 Daniel Bass (rookie)
#38 Scott Harding
#45 Cameron Hitchcock (rookie)
#46 Daniel Webb (rookie)
#47 Cameron Cloke (rookie)
#48 Jordan Johns (rookie)
