For the first time on the competition’s history the AFL this week will trial the addition of players’ surnames on the back of their jumpers.

This sees the AFL fall into line with other sports including many soccer competitions, US basketball and football, Canadian ice hockey and cricket’s short games among others.

This comes over 100 years after the competition added numbers to the back of jumpers and 40 years after the addition of sponsors’ logos to the front.

While the merits of the change will be debated and some will argue this makes our indigenous game too much like others sports, new and casual fans might enjoy the extra ease in spotting who’s who while the merchandise folk could reap a windfall.

Given the limited space on jumpers let’s look at the Essendon players likely to cause the biggest headaches.

As befitting a big guy, Tom Bellchambers, has the biggest name. Twelve letters and not an ‘I’ among them. He’s followed by Hardingham and Winderlich (10 letters), Zaharakis, Steinberg and the two Merretts (9 ‘letters’ each, given the Merretts will need a first initial and space) and then the rest of the team.

Fortunately no Vander Haar (11 spaces) or Merryweather (12 letters) this season.

Maybe the AFL was waiting for Nathan Lovett-Murray to retire before starting their trial.