When Tom Phillips runs out onto the MCG on Monday, he will become the 38th man to play for Collingwood this season, and the 1135th player to represent the club since 1897.

The details
Name: Tom Phillips
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Age: 20
Height: 186cm
Weight: 75kg

What they said pre-draft
"Tom had a very good year right across the board. Very flexible in terms of where he can play - he played down back, played through the midfield and up forward too. We challenged him throughout the year to balance out numbers with defensive elements of his game, so he was able to match a 40-possession game with a 11, 12, 13-tackle performance. Finished second in our best and fairest, played a game at Port late in the year against Collingwood and was named Port's best player for the day at senior VFL level." - Craig Notman, Oakleigh Chargers talent manager.

The story so far
After struggling to make the cut at representative teams early in his football journey, Phillips finished his time at the Oakleigh Chargers as a dual premiership player. The 186cm Victorian can play in a range of positions on the ground and is known for his elite running and ability to win disposals at will. He entered his time at Collingwood as a 19-year-old looking to use his persistence and versatility to break into the senior team.

How did he perform in the TAC Cup?
After 12 games and a premiership for Oakleigh in 2014, Phillips returned to the Chargers in 2015 as an overage player determined to make the most of his final year in the highly-touted development league.

The 19-year-old was at the forefront as Oakleigh worked their way towards what promised to be another season that would extend deep into September. He kicked 23 goals in 16 games, while he was also named amongst the best players on eight occasions.

It was the middle of the season where Phillips entered a remarkable run of form and arguably caught the eyes of AFL recruiters. In six games between rounds five and 15 of the TAC Cup season he averaged 34 disposals a game. He went on to become a premiership player, with 18 disposals and two goals in Oakleigh’s 12-point victory over the Eastern Rangers.

What's his record like in the VFL this year?
Phillips has been one of the highlights of the VFL Magpies' 2016 campaign so far.

He is averaging 20.6 disposals and 4.4 tackles in his seven VFL games so far this year, kicking six goals in the process. He ranks third for kicks, sixth for disposals, fifth for tackles and ninth for inside 50s among his VFL peers, and enjoyed a breakout game against Werribee last Saturday when he collected 33 disposals and kicked three goals.

Did you know?
Phillips will become the first player to wear the No. 21 for Collingwood since Quinten Lynch, who last wore the jumper on the MCG in round 23, 2013.

Lynch wore the number again in 2014 but did not appear at senior level. It was worn by Nathan Freeman last year.

The number has appeared in each of the Magpies' past two premierships, worn by Michael Christian in 1990 and Sharrod Wellingham in 2010.