Essendon recruits Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad have been given their new numbers as they begin their first pre-seasons in red and black.
Stringer will wear No.25, a number made famous by another forward, 2000 premiership player, Scott Lucas.
Smith has been given No.5, best known for being worn by Terry Daniher and James Hird, while Saad will wear No.42, the same number he wore at the Gold Coast Suns.
"Woosha (coach John Worsfold) rang me and let me know that I was going to wear 25, and I was pretty excited," Stringer told the Bombers' website.
"Obviously having Roger Merrett and Scotty Lucas wear it before me, it's always good to go in and understand the long history of great players that have worn the number before you.
"As a player, to get your name cemented on the locker with a premiership is a huge honour, and I'll go out there and make sure I have a good pre-season, and fingers crossed in round one I'm ready to go and can pull on the jumper."
Smith also said he was rapt to receive the No.5.
"Terry Daniher has played 290-odd games, is a premiership captain and has more All-Australians than I've played games, so it's pretty exciting," Smith said.
"It's a pretty cool feeling to look at the names on the back of your locker and see what they've done. I know many kids that used to run around thinking they were Hirdy with long sleeve jumper, and most recently Brent Stanton played 255 games, and in this day and age that's a huge effort."
Meanwhile, Kyle Langford has been given Jobe Watson's No.4 guernsey, after previously wearing the No.30.
"I'm pretty humbled to be offered the opportunity to wear the guernsey by Woosha and Jobe," Langford said.
"Leon Baker, Gavin Wanganeen and obviously Jobe are famous and successful players for the club. To have been able to play and train alongside Jobe, and then to be able to wear the jumper after him, it's a massive honour.
"Jobe said 'Do it for yourself, don't do it for anyone else, and you've worked hard and earned the honour of wearing it'."
Meanwhile, Essendon's draftees have also been handed their numbers for 2018; Jordan Houlahan (24), Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (30), Matt Guelfi (35), Trent Mynott (39) and Luke Lavender (40).
