Sydney draftee from South Australia will wear the number 23 made famous by Lance Franklin

Famous football numbers can be a blessing or a curse, but a Sydney Swans draftee asked to fill the biggest possible shoes.

Richmond may have shelved Dustin Martin’s No.4 for the time being, but the Sydney Swans have opted to refill the No.23 made famous by superstar Lance Franklin after draftee Ned Bowman asked for it.

Bowman, who was drafted from Norwood in South Australia as Sydney’s second pick, will wear the number Franklin donned with distinction in 354 games, including 172 for the Sydney Swans, after being traded to the Harbour City at the end of the 2013 season from Hawthorn.

Franklin retired with little fanfare at the end of 2023, finishing with a mind-boggling 1066 goals.

His number 23 was left vacant for the 2024 season and Bowman conceded he was “shocked” when his request to take it on in his first season was granted.

“They sent out the numbers and I just requested 23,” Bowman said on Wednesday.

“I was in a bit of shock. I wasn’t expecting them to just give it out.

“I was expecting someone else to come in who’s already been in the team.

“I like that pressure of having a bit more expectation, and hopefully it just shows a little bit more confidence in myself, which I probably lacked over the few seasons before.

“I’m just happy to wear it and see what happens, and hopefully live up to at least a half of it or even a quarter of what the number represents.”

The wait is over for our new recruits, and we can now reveal the guernsey numbers they will be wearing when they represent the red and white. #Bloods

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) December 10, 2024

Clubs are increasingly making efforts to hand famous jumper numbers to top draftees, with West Coast giving No.9, worn with distinction by club greats Ben Cousins and then Nic Naitanui, to No.1 draft pick Harley Reid in 2024.

Sydney officials haven’t shied away from lofty ambitions for all their draftees either.

The club’s third pick in the draft, Riley Bice, will wear No.26, which was recently vacated by champion Swan Luke Parker, who moved to North Melbourne.

Parker was a former club co-captain, a 2012 premiership player, multiple best-and-fairest winner and played 293 games in the guernsey.

 “We think long and hard about the allocation of jumper numbers and we feel these new players will wear them with pride,” Swans football boss Leon Cameron said.

 “Obviously, jumper numbers 20, 23 and 26 have recently been worn by Sydney Swans champions, so we didn’t hand these out lightly, but we believe these kids will represent themselves well.

“I look forward to seeing all the new players run out in the red and white next year, hoping they will make these jumpers their own.”

The Swans are entering a new phase after a horror grand final loss to the Brisbane Lions, with Dean Cox replacing long-term coach John Longmire, who stood down last month after 15 seasons in charge.

New Sydney Swans player guernsey numbers:

18 ......... Jesse Dattoli

20 ......... Riak Andrew

23 ......... Ned Bowman

25 ......... Ben Paton

26 ......... Riley Bice

32 ......... Blake Leidler

The wait is over for our new recruits, and we can now reveal the guernsey numbers they will be wearing when they represent the red and white. #Bloods

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) December 10, 2024