Dyson and Stanton have been given the honour of pulling on two of the most famous numbers the club has seen in the past ten years.
In 2005 Dyson will wear guernsey number two, the number made famous by two-time premiership hero and former All-Australian Mark Mercuri.
Stanton will pull on the number 24 jumper this season - the number Joe Misiti won two flags in during his 12-year career at Windy Hill.
Both Mercuri and Misiti retired at the end of the 2004 season.
The new number allocation is reward for Dyson and Stanton following impressive debut seasons with the Bombers, each playing 11 and 15 games respectively in 2004.
Essendon’s new recruits have also been given their jumper numbers for the 2005 season, with Angus Monfries being given the honour of wearing the number six guernsey that defender Sean Wellman wore with distinction during his career at Windy Hill.
The famous number 32, as worn by Tim Watson, will this year be the number of rising star Andrew Lee, Essendon’s second selection at number 30 in the National Draft.
Fellow draftees Paul Thomas (number 17), Henry Slattery (34) and Ty Zantuck (36) were other new faces to recently receive their jumper numbers. Zantuck has retained the number 36 jumper he wore while at former club Richmond.
Former Essendon greats to wear these numbers include:
2 – Mark Mercuri, Bill Busbridge
6 – Sean Wellman, Anthony and Neale Daniher, Tom Fitzmaurice
17 – William Sewart
24 – Joe Misiti, Frank Maher, Don McKenzie
32 – Tim Watson, Barry Davis
34 – Merv Neagle
36 - Paul Doran
