The talented midfielder made his AFL debut in round two, 2011, and played more than 80 games for the Gold Coast Suns.

But mid last year tabloid newspapers splashed old photographs that appeared to show him using illicit drugs at a Tasmanian hotel.

Later in 2015 he was accused of slapping a cigarette out of a bouncer's mouth during a night out at Surfers Paradise, a charge he settled by paying a fine.

The Suns traded Bennell to Fremantle at the end of the year, but he re-injured his calf and has not yet played a senior game for the Dockers.

On Saturday Fremantle officials announced the now 24-year-old would wear number 13, taking over the number from delisted utility Tendai Mzungu.

He had been assigned the number four when he first joined the club.

"It's a lucky number in my family," he told the club's website.

"Me and all of my brothers wore it in their junior footy days, so it's good to be able to pull that number on again in Freo colours."

Former Hawk Bradley Hill also got the number he wore as a junior footballer, nine.

Other Freo recruits have also received their new numbers.

Premiership-winning Bulldog Joel Hamling will take 21, ex-Cat Shane Kersten 22 and ex-Giant Cam McCarthy gets 23.