Sydney draftee from South Australia will wear the number 23 made famous by Lance Franklin

Richmond may have shelved Dustin Martin’s No.4 for the time being, but the Sydney Swans have opted to refill the No.23 made famous by superstar Lance Franklin with a draftee.

Ned Bowman, who was drafted from Norwood in South Australia as Sydney’s second pick, will wear the number Franklin wore with distinction in 354 games, including 172 for the Sydney Swans, after being traded to the Harbour City at the end of the 2013 season from Hawthorn.

Franklin retired with little fanfare at the end of 2023, finishing with a mind-boggling 1066 goals.

His number 23 was left vacant for the 2024 season but will be on the field again in 2025.

Clubs are increasingly making efforts to hand famous jumper numbers to top draftees, with West Coast giving No.9, worn with distinction by club greats Ben Cousins and then Nic Naitanui, to No.1 draft pick Harley Reid in 2024.

Sydney officials haven’t shied away from lofty ambitions for all their draftees either.

The club’s third pick in the draft, Riley Bice, will wear No.26, which was recently vacated by champion Swan Luke Parker, who moved to North Melbourne.

Parker was a former club co-captain, a 2012 premiership player, multiple best-and-fairest winner and played 293 games in the guernsey.

“We think long and hard about the allocation of jumper numbers and we feel these new players will wear them with pride,” Swans football boss Leon Cameron said.

“Obviously, jumper numbers 20, 23 and 26 have recently been worn by Sydney Swans champions, so we didn’t hand these out lightly, but we believe these kids will represent themselves well.

“I look forward to seeing all the new players run out in the red and white next year, hoping they will make these jumpers their own.”

The Swans are entering a new phase after a horror grand final loss to the Brisbane Lions, with Dean Cox replacing long-term coach John Longmire, who stood down last month after 15 seasons in charge.