When Fraser Phillips was recently handed the No.39 dark Navy Blue guernsey, he also inherited some sage words of advice from the recently-retired keeper of the relevant locker, Dale Thomas.

As a parting gift in black texta, Thomas penned the following message onto the inside of the No.39 locker he’d opened and closed through the six seasons of his 101-game Carlton career: 

TO THE NEW #39.

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE BAGGERS.

I HOPE, LIKE ME YOU CAN ADD YOUR NAME TO THE FAMOUS 39 LOCKER!

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER

  1. HARD WORK BEATS TALENT WHEN TALENT DOESN’T WORK HARD
  2. SUPPORT CHARITIES JUST DON’T DRINK WINE AT CHARITY EVENTS! TRUST ME
  3. WHEN IN DOUBT PULL THE TORP OUT!

ALL THE VERY BEST,

MUCH LOVE

DALE THOMAS 39

Recently recruited to the club as a rookie from Gippsland Power, Phillips couldn’t hide his delight with the message left for him at locker No.39.

“I absolutely love it,” Phillips said. “I couldn’t believe it when I first opened to the locker and there it was. It was bloody funny.

“I took on board ‘Daisy’s’ comment about hard work beating talent, and I did have a chuckle about best practice at charity events . . . and maybe one day I’ll pull the torp out.”

Phillips added that while he had not yet met Thomas, Daisy’s’ message meant much to him as a fellow ‘Gippy’ boy. As he said with pride: “He (Thomas) is from Drouin and I’m from Warragul”. 

When Thomas joined Carlton from Collingwood, he opted for the No. 39 based on his empathy for two League footballers who wore the number elsewhere.

As he posted in a tweet at the time: “Looking forward to wearing the number 39 on my back next year like two of my heroes Warwick Capper and Heath Shaw”.

Now Thomas can rest easy in the knowledge that Phillips will don the No.39 with pride, as a mark of respect to its most recent keeper.