Chris Newman [merged]

[Ox]

was outstanding,however;
although he has the ability to be an even better player than last week,his weaknesses are consistency and stupid turnovers by foot from the back line.
As captain he needs to be the ONE consistent player every week and inspire the rest.
He needs to make the decision and take it to the elite level.
It's up to him but he aint it yet.

[tony_montana]

he's not tight enough as a defender for mine.... has always been my pet hate of Newman probably bc he has the ability to be a better lockdown player but just doesnt pay the job enough respect.

[Fluffy Tiger]

he's not tight enough as a defender for mine.... has always been my pet hate of Newman probably bc he has the ability to be a better lockdown player but just doesnt pay the job enough respect.

The problem there lays in that we dont really know what the coaches ask him to do. He might be asked to play free and be the creator, we just dont know. Hardwick seems to be happy with him from what I can see.

[gerkin greg]

needs a captain's haircut, he's not 18 any more

[Ox]

too much friggin' in the riggin', Cap'n.

[Mr Magic]

G U N

[mightytiges]

A shame Newy is 28 and he'll probably miss any ultimate success if and when it does come from our current young group as he deserves to be part of it. I've always been a fan but the captaincy IMO has made him a better footballer as well. One of our top 6.

[one-eyed]

I didn't want to start a new thread about this but sheesh Newy was a bogan when he was a 9 year old kid with the long long hair and wearing a Collingwood jumper playing for his Narre Warren school . I'm sure he's really glad Ch 10 found that old footage .

[Oiafi]

Explains how he could have been best mates with Fev. Sounds like he's gone through a hell of a change.

[one-eyed]

Here's the video of Newy as a 9 year old [ go to 4.00 ]

http://one.com.au/video.htm?tags=show:name!Sports%20Tonight&movideo_m=107083

[one-eyed]

Former Richmond captain Kane Johnson praises Chris Newman's leadership

    Glenn McFarlane
    From: Sunday Herald Sun
    May 15, 2011

CHRIS Newman's tough captaincy initiation in a crisis-ridden 2009 has made him the exceptional skipper that he is today, according to the man he replaced, Kane Johnson.

Newman took over the role after Johnson's retirement at the end of 2008 and had to endure a year of intense pressure on the club that included eight losses from the first nine games as well as the replacement of Terry Wallace as coach.

Johnson believes those experiences have helped to steel Newman to steer the young Richmond group on its upward trajectory under coach Damien Hardwick.

"To walk into a year like that as captain, I don't think anyone would have handled the situation any better than 'Newy' did," Johnson said ahead of Richmond's clash with the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

"I know that it has made him the captain he is now.

"You have to go through those hard times to grow and learn what it means to be a captain of a football club. I am sure it wasn't easy. Anyone in his position would have struggled.

"All the reports coming out of the club now are of how well he is going as captain and how he has grown in stature in the role.

"I'm sure that it has had something to do with what he has gone through."

Johnson said Newman ranked highly among the other AFL captains, despite Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy ranking him as No.13 on his list of the 2011 skippers in last week's Sunday Herald Sun.

"It's always hard to compare captains when you don't know what is going on at other clubs, but the way he (Newman) plays his footy is a real example," Johnson said.

"He is hard and tough, he directs traffic well and he uses the ball really well. It's great to see the young players doing so well, especially for a player like Chris. He went through hard times and it is good to get some reward for it."

Johnson said he was enjoying watching the Tiger revival this season - the club today seeks to make it four wins in succession.

"We always knew the talent was there, and speaking with the boys about the way Damien Hardwick is going about it, they just want to keep improving," he said.

"There is a long way to go. But wherever they finish this year is a bonus because as long as they keep taking steps in the right direction, I'm sure the improvement will keep coming."

Johnson believed the Richmond midfield, comprising the likes of Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin, had the potential to be among the best within a few years.

"As young as they are, and as well as they are playing, you would have to say that they will be one of the better ones (midfields) going around soon," he said.

"I've enjoyed watching 'Cotch' this year. I had a bit to do with him because he lived at my house for a bit of time. He went through a tough time with the injuries, but now you can see that he is going to be an exceptional player.

"He does things that most players can't. And you can see what Dustin Martin has been able to do already. He is only 19, and is such an exciting player."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/former-richmond-captain-kane-johnson-praises-chris-newmans-leadership/story-e6frf9jf-1226055905007

[one-eyed]

Stars return to their roots
Berwick Leader
by PAUL AMY
Australian Rules/Footy
17 May 11, 2011



Richmond captain Chris Newman with Narre Warren juniors last Wednesday. PICTURE: JANE OLLERENSHAW


TWO of Narre Warren Junior Football Club’s favourite sons have made triumphant returns to their old stomping ground.

Richmond captain Chris Newman and his Western Bulldogs counterpart Matthew Boyd were mobbed by a legion of starry-eyed youngsters when they visited Sweeney Reserve for the Magpies’ training last Wednesday night.

Club president Steve Darcy said the AFL stars’ return was the culmination of the club’s rebirth.

“We took over in November last year and the club was on its knees,” Darcy said.

“It almost had to fold, but the committee has worked tirelessly since November to get the club up and running again.

“We’ve got nearly 300 kids at the club and it’s great for them to see well known footballers who have come through here that they can aspire to be like.”

Newman, Boyd and Fremantle half back Adam McPhee came through the junior ranks together and won a remarkable seven straight flags, losing just one game in that period.

Newman, who started at age six and had already clocked up 100 games by the time he was 11, told the Leader his return to the club was a humbling experience.

“This is the first time I’ve been back to the club, but seeing all these kids brings back memories of when I was running around,” Newman said.

“We had Boyd and McPhee, but it was a really talented team, even the ones who didn’t go on were really good players.” The club presented the two stars with framed Narre Warren Football Club jumpers as a token of their appreciation.

“The boys spent over two hours with our kids,” Darcy said.

“We presented them with the jumpers and they were rapt. Their mums were there and they were tearing up in the background.

“They spoke so well to the kids and no question was too hard to answer.”

Newman told the youngsters he was doing a coaching course and had designs on being a coach once he finished playing.

The club - which also boasts North Melbourne youngster Ryan Bastinac, Melbourne Demons midfielder Tom Scully and the enigmatic Brendan Fevola as former players - invited past parents and coaches to the night.

Steve Scerri, who coached the boys to three flags, said every player got a go. “We didn’t brag about it, but we knew the kids were good,” Scerri said.

“No one wanted to play Narre. We gave our kids encouragement and made sure everyone got a go. Even Matt, Adam and Chris started games on the bench.”

Rob Dowsett said the parents of the players had formed a special bond and still kept in touch.

“We still have a reunion once a year,” Dowsett said.

“It was just a special group of kids. I remember after the grand final wins we used to go to the Central Hotel in Beaconsfield for our version of mad Monday.

“We’d fill the jugs up with raspberry soft drink for the kids.”

Boyd and Newman took questions from kids on the ground, before running them through some drills.

Jamie, 11, said it was pretty cool to see AFL players at the club.

“I want to follow in their foot-steps,” he said.

Aaron, 11, said he was surprised the two stars started out at Narre Warren. Nadeesh, 11, said he wanted to see how far the AFL boys could kick.

Cody, 11, said he got his top signed.

The two captains squared off in the Bulldogs versus Tigers game at Etihad Stadium last Sunday.

http://berwick-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/stars-return-to-their-roots/

[gerkin greg]

Newman told the youngsters he was doing a coaching course and had designs on being a coach once he finished playing.

good stuff 

[one-eyed]

Newy interviewed in the rooms after the game:

http://bigpondvideo.com/RichmondTV/356350/chris-newman-changerooms/

[one-eyed]

'I've lost patience with the Tigers', Chris Newman says

    Matt Windley
    From: Herald Sun
    July 02, 2011

CHRIS Newman admits he is getting impatient.

At 29, the Richmond skipper is adamant he has no plans to hang up his boots any time soon.

But the fact remains he is the longest-serving AFL player not to have played a finals game.

And time is running out.

"I probably am a little bit more impatient than others," Newman said this week.

"And that's probably just circumstance and how long I've been at the club for. But that's also just that I want to play in a finals game and to be a part of the finals atmosphere.

"I hear a lot of stories about the Tigers fans in finals games and I want to experience that.

"I just have to be patient. There's no doubt about that. We still have a long way to go."

 

ON MARCH 26, 2009, Richmond kicked off the season against Carlton at the MCG.

Ben Cousins had arrived at Punt Rd, Matthew Richardson finished third in the 2008 Brownlow Medal and club legend Kevin Sheedy said pre-season the Tigers could win the premiership.

Things were looking up and Newman, preparing for his first official game as captain, could see the light.

"We got excited, we really did," he said.

"I thought we were going somewhere, we still had some really mature players around playing at that stage, so we thought that we had a really good balance.

"There was a lot of hype - I don't think I've ever been involved in a game with as much hype around it as that Round 1 game with Carlton.

"It was a good feeling running out in front of a big crowd, and that was probably as close to a finals game as I think I've played.

"And then they really did pull our pants down on the big stage. It probably hurt us a little bit and it took us a while to recover from that and get back to playing some good footy, there's no doubt."

 

TWO AND A HALF seasons later the Tigers are again preparing to face the Blues on what is an equally big day for the club.

Richmond has dedicated its home game to the Fighting Tiger Fund, aimed at reducing the club's debt.

Its off-field resurgence in recent times has been matched by its replenishment on the field - only eight players who played on that March night remain for today's game at the MCG.

And while a more experienced team raised - but ultimately dashed - hopes back then, Newman insists this is no false dawn for the current group of Tiger cubs.

"This is completely different," he said. "It's a completely different team for one. I'd like to compare the teams and see the amount of players who have been turned over in that time.

"Everyone wants that line - that we're going to be playing finals this year.

"It still has to be week to week, though. We're in no position to be talking about playing finals - we haven't been there for about 10 years.

"But in saying that, it's certainly our goal and our aspiration and we feel like we're in a pretty good position at the moment.

"So, if this happens to be the year, then so be it, but the main thing is that we're definitely on the right path and I've got absolute faith in the playing group that we've got that we're good enough to be able to mix it with any side in the competition when we play at our best."

 

ONLY FOUR footballers have played 200 VFL/AFL games without featuring in a final.

Newman has played 188 matches, and will become the fifth member in that club early next season if the Tigers fail to make the top eight for a 10th consecutive year.

"It definitely hurts," he said.

"I guess I still have that burning desire to play in a finals game, as everyone does.

"I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, the direction we're headed, and my belief in this club and the direction it's headed has never been as strong as it is. And I don't say that lightly. I look forward to what the future holds now."

That said, Newman won't be taking anything for granted.

"When you're young you're just that happy to be playing for your football club and you're just sure that finals will come.

"I remember being in a similar position, but as I'm getting older now it still hasn't come - I still haven't played in a finals game."

-----

FINAL COUNTDOWN

Most games without a final (current players)

Chris Newman (Rich) 188

Brett Deledio (Rich) 141

Shane Tuck (Rich) 134

Richard Tambling (Rich/Adel) 114

Andrew Krakouer (Rich/Coll) 113

THE 200 CLUB

MOST GAMES WITHOUT A FINAL

230 - Trevor Barker (StK)

224 - Geoff Cunningham (StK)

203 - Steven Smith (Melb)

200 - Ted Pool (Haw) 200

----

188 - Chris Newman (Rich)

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ive-lost-patience-with-the-tigers-chris-newman-says/story-e6frf9jf-1226085873745