In a moving tribute to family legacy, the Melbourne Football Club has ensured the White family name will continue to be associated with the number 34, as young draftee Kalani White follows in his famous father's footsteps.
A Family Legacy Continues
Jeff White, who played 268 AFL games including 236 for Melbourne while wearing number 34, expressed profound gratitude as his son Kalani White was officially granted the same jersey number. The emotional moment comes seventeen years after Jeff's retirement in 2008, with Kalani joining the Demons as a pre-selected rookie under the father-son rule last week.
Through a heartfelt social media post, Jeff White revealed the club had made a promise two years ago that if Kalani ever reached the required standard to be drafted, the iconic number would be his. "True to their word, they've honoured that promise," Jeff stated, specifically thanking list manager Tim Lamb, national recruiting manager Jase Taylor, and the club board.
The Emotional Connection to Number 34
The story behind the number selection reveals deep family significance. Jeff White admitted he once told his son he could choose his own number when playing footy, feeling no pressure to continue the tradition. However, Kalani's response demonstrated the number's importance to the family legacy. "He looked at me and said, 'Dad... 34 is our number'," Jeff recalled.
Jeff White's own journey saw him taken by Fremantle with the No.1 pick in the 1994 AFL draft before moving to Melbourne after two years in Western Australia. Throughout his distinguished 268-game career across both clubs, he consistently wore the number 34 on his back.
Rookie Draft Highlights and Club Movements
The rookie draft saw several significant developments across the AFL. Kalani White was one of two pre-listed Category A rookies, alongside Collingwood NGA product Jai Saxena.
In a continuing trend, multiple clubs shifted players off their senior lists during the rookie drafts. Sydney re-drafted experienced players Jake Lloyd and Dane Rampe, while other clubs followed similar strategies:
- Lincoln McCarthy (Brisbane)
- Conor Stone (GWS)
- George Stevens (Geelong)
- Ben Jepson (Gold Coast)
Only six completely new faces entered the AFL system through the rookie draft, with Fred Rodriguez (West Coast) and Riley Onley (Melbourne) leading the selections. Former top-20 contender Ollie Greeves found his way to Hawthorn after being Vic Metro's best player at the U18s national championships and finishing runner-up in the Larke Medal.
Additional player movements are expected during the pre-season supplemental selection period, with Fremantle poised to sign Collingwood premiership ruck-forward Mason Cox. West Coast are anticipated to pick up recently delisted midfielders Deven Robertson (Brisbane), Harry Schoenberg (Adelaide), and Fin Macrae (Collingwood).
The White family story stands out as particularly poignant amid these routine AFL roster movements, demonstrating how numbers can carry profound personal meaning beyond their practical function in sport.
