Countdown to Round 1, 2026 - Day 17: Essendon Guernsey Number 17

Don TheStat
4 hours ago
2 min read

With 17 days to go until Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, the Don The Stat Guernsey Countdown turns to Guernsey Number 17.

The number was first worn during the 1911 finals series, when Les White became its first Essendon wearer following the introduction of jumper numbers.

The first extended tenure in the number belonged to Bill Sewart, who wore 17 from 1912 to 1915, playing 61 games and winning the 1912 Premiership.

In the interwar period, Garnet Campbell became the defining figure of the jumper, wearing it from 1923 to 1933 and playing 157 games, one of the longest runs in the number.

Following World War II, Harold Lambert elevated the status of Guernsey 17. Across multiple stints between 1940 and 1951, Lambert played 81 games and was a member of Essendon’s 1949 and 1950 Premiership sides. A Team of the Century member, he was also the last surviving player from the 1946 and 1949 Premiership teams before his passing in 2022.

The jumper continued to be worn by consistent contributors across the modern era. Darryl Gerlach played 149 games in the number during the 1960s and early 1970s, while Stephen Carey wore it through the 1980s, playing 105 games and winning the 1985 Premiership.

In the AFL era, Jake Melksham carried Guernsey 17 for 114 games between 2010 and 2015, followed by James Stewart, who added 60 games between 2017 and 2022.

Most recently, Todd Goldstein wore the number in 2024 and 2025, before retiring at the end of the 2025 season.

From 2026, Guernsey 17 will be worn by Vigo Visentini, who debuted in 2025 wearing #39 and now inherits the jumper after being mentored by Goldstein in his formative seasons.

Milestone Players in Guernsey Number 17

50+ games (5) Harold Lambert (81), Kieran Sporn (72), Bill Sewart (61), Len Wallace (61), James Stewart (60)
100+ games (3) Darryl Gerlach (149), Jake Melksham (114), Stephen Carey (105)
150+ games(1) Garnet Campbell (157)