Essendon has unveiled the Club’s new jumper numbers for the 2018 season.

Headlining the changes, Kyle Langford, will don the famous number 4 following the retirement of Jobe Watson, and new recruits Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad will don numbers 5, 25 and 42 respectively next season.

Langford said he feels privileged to be handed such a prestigious guernsey.

“I’m pretty humbled to be offered the opportunity to wear the guernsey by Woosha and Jobe,” Langford said.  

“Leon Baker, Gavin Wanganeen and obviously Jobe are famous and successful players for the Club. And to have been able to play and train alongside Jobe, and then to be able to wear the jumper after him, it’s a massive honour.”

“Jobe said ‘do it for yourself, don’t do it for anyone else, and you’ve worked hard and earned the honour’ of wearing it.”

Past players Terry Daniher (#5), Scott Lucas (#25) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (#42) presented Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad with their guernsey’s at the Club earlier today. 

Smith said to receive the number 5 from Terry Daniher was a huge honour.             

“Terry Daniher has played 290 odd games, is a premiership captain and has more All-Australians than I’ve played games, so it’s pretty exciting,” Smith said.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling to look at the names on the back of your locker and see what they’ve done. I know many kids that used to run around thinking they were Hirdy with long sleeve jumper, and most recently Brent Stanton played 255 games, and in this day and age that’s a huge effort.

“There is responsibility that comes with it, but it’s also about me wearing the number five and what I can do in the jumper. I’m here to win games and hopefully win a premiership in it.”

Stringer said he is thrilled to run out in the number 25 for the Bombers.

“Woosha rang me and let me know that I was going to wear 25, and I was pretty excited,” Stringer said.

“Obviously having Roger Merrett and Scotty Lucas wear it before me, it’s always good to go in and understand the long history of great players that have worn the number before you.

“As a player to get your name cemented on the locker with a premiership is a huge honour, and I’ll go out there and make sure I have a good pre-season, and fingers crossed in round one I’m ready to go and can pull on the jumper.”

Saad said he’s thrilled to continue his long tradition of wearing the number 42.

“I was 42 in my TAC Cup days and had the opportunity to wear that at Gold Coast, I want to make this number my own. I’m very honoured to be able to wear it for Essendon,” Saad said.

“Nathan Lovett-Murray was a great player for this club, and when I pull the number 42 on next year, I will wear it with pride.

“I try to play every game the best I can, play my role for the team, and I’m really excited to pull on the new colours.”

Draftees Jordan Houlahan, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Matt Guelfi and Trent Mynott have been handed numbers 24, 30, 35 and 39. While Category B Rookie, Luke Lavender, will wear the number 40.

New Guernsey numbers for Season 2018

4 – Kyle Langford

5 – Devon Smith

24 - Jordan Houlahan

25 – Jake Stringer

30 - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher

35 - Matt Guelfi

39 - Trent Mynott

40 – Luke Lavender

42 – Adam Saad