Charlie Ballard on Saturday will become the 18^th SUNS player to play 100 games in the same jumper number.

Having worn #31 in his first 11 games in 2018, the ever-dependable defender will post his century in #10 as the SUNS open the 2024 season against Richmond at Heritage Bank Arena.

Jarrod Harbrow was the SUNS’ first single-number 100-gamer in 2016, having played his entire Gold Coast career in #5 after wearing #40 at the Western Bulldogs.

In chronological order since then, SUNS single-number 100-gamers have been Michael Rischitelli (#35), Matt Shaw (#26), Gary Ablett (#9), Tom Lynch (#19), Brandon Matera (#32), Trent McKenzie (#18), David Swallow (#24), Aaron Hall (#33), Sam Day (#12), Steven May (#17), Alex Sexton (#6), Touk Miller (#11), Jarrod Witts (#28), Sean Lemmens (#23) and Ben Ainsworth (#9).

Jumper #9 is the only jumper worn 100 times by two players – Ablett and Ainsworth.

In what is a great trivia question for seasoned SUNS supporters, eight of the 18 began in different numbers – Lynch in #46, Day in #39, May in #45, Sexton in #37, Miller in #44, Ainsworth in #27 and Ballard in #31.

Within striking distance on 100 games in the same number this season are Darcy Macpherson (95 games in #44), Sam Collins (90 games in #25), Lachie Weller (89 games in #14), Wil Powell (87 games in #27) and Noah Anderson (81 games in #15).

In the club’s 282 games the #24 has been worn most often – 220 times by Swallow.

The #11 has been worn 218 times by Harley Bennell (67 games) and Miller (151), while five other numbers have featured on the SUNS teamsheet 200 times - #5 (Harbrow 192, Alex Davies 24), #9 (Ablett 110, Ainsworth 104), #25 (Sam Collins 90, Danny Stanley 83, Jarryd Lyons 37), #28 (Witts 125, Kade Kolodjashnij 59, Josh Caddy 22) and #4 (Jack Martin 97, Brandon Ellis 71, Maverick Weller 32).

Four numbers have been worn by six different players:-

#21 – Jack Leslie, Hugh Greenwood, Daniel Harris, Jeremy Taylor, Jacob Townsend, James Tsitas.

#29 – Chris Burgess, Jack Bowes, Tom Murphy, Taylor Hine, Andrew Raines, Brayden Fiorini.

#40 – Sean Lemmens, Joel Jeffrey, Jacob Heron, Tom Hickey, Andrew Boston, Brad Scheer.

#41 – Malcolm Rosas, Dion Prestia, Jack Lukosius, Jarrod Garlett, Will Brodie, Leigh Osborne.

Six numbers have been worn by only one player - #24 (Swallow), #12 (Day), #48 (Seb Tape), #51 (Andrew McQualter), #52 (Joel Tippett) and #55 (Nathan Ablett).

The #12 jumper was allocated in 2011 to Jack Stanlake but was not worn at AFL level, and was adopted by Day in 2012.

Two players hold the record for most games for the club in two different numbers – Lemmens in #23 and #40, and May in #17 and #45.

Games record-holders by number are:-

1 – Jaeger O’Meara (44)
2 - Zac Smith (65)
3 – Jack Bowes (56)
4 – Jack Martin (97)
5 – Jarrod Harbrow (192)
6 – Alex Sexton (170)
7 – Karmichael Hunt (44)
8 – Brayden Fiorini (91)
9 – Gary Ablett (110)
10 – Charlie Ballard (99)
11 -  Touk Miller (151)
12 – Sam Day  (143)
13 – Jack Lukosius (74)
14 – Lachie Weller (89)
15 – Noah Anderson (81)
16 – Rory Thompson (106)
17 – Steven May (106)|
18 – Trent McKenzie (106)
19 – Tom Lynch (118)
20 – Henry Schade (20)
21 – Jack Leslie (26)
22 – Izak Rankine (48)
23 – Sean Lemmens (109)
24 – David Swallow (220)
25 – Sam Collins (90)
26 – Matt Shaw (102)
27 – Wil Powell (87)
28 – Jarrod Witts (125)
29 – Chris Burgess (36)
30 – Peter Wright (66)
31 – Mac Andrew (21)
32 – Brandon Matera (101)
33 – Aaron Hall (103)
34 – Ben King (73)
35 – Michael Rischitelli (132)
36 – Sam Iles (26)
37 – Jesse Lonergan (46)
38 – Jesse Joyce (64)
39 – Nick Holman (62)
40 – Sean Lemmens (36)
41 – Malcolm Rosas (38)
42 – Adam Saad (48)
43 – Liam Patrick (13)
44 – Darcy Macpherson (95)
45 – Steven May (17)
46 – Caleb Graham (37)
47 – Hewago Oea (13)
48 – Seb Tape (40)
49 – Jacob Gillbee (6)
50 – Jy Farrar (34)
51 – Andrew McQualter (5)
52 – Joel Tippett (2)
55 – Nathan Ablett (2)