When it comes to Australian Rules Football, the number on the back of the jumper has always meant less, while simultaneously meaning more.

Unlike all forms of rugby and the world game, they don't denote any particular position, and unlike the NFL for the longest time, there has never been any restriction on which player could wear which number - except for seniority, of course.

Dissimilar to most American sports, we don't retire our numbers, either, meaning that new generations of stars and spuds alike have the opportunity to eclipse the legacies of champions that came before them.

From the legends in the low-numbered lockers to the also-rans with sixty-something stitched to the backs, here are the players that made the most AFL/VFL appearances in every jumper guernsey number ever seen.

Beware, things get a bit odd once we hit the late 40s.

2025 AFL Season Guide

DOWNLOAD NOW FOR FREE!

Back
Next

9-16ย 

9 - Trent Cotchin - Richmond - 306 games
10 - Scott Pendlebury - Collingwood - 371* games
11 - Bruce Doull - Carlton - 329 games
12 - Nick Riewoldt - St Kilda - 336 games
13 - Daniel Giansiracusa - Western Bulldogs - 265 games
14 - Joel Selwood - Geelong - 355 games
15 - Luke Hodge - Hawthorn/Brisbane - 305 games
16 - David Mundy - Fremantle - 376 games

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Joel Selwood of the Cats celebrates with the premiership cup during the 2022 Toyota AFL Grand Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 24, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Back
Next