Tiger keeps tight hold on goalsneaks
08 May 2005
Sunday Herald Sun
Ken Piesse
For all the talk about versatility in football, there is still room for specialists. Take Richmond's Chris Newman, who has a happy knack of closing down opposing goalsneaks. Ken Piesse reports.
CHRIS Newman says it all goes back to the old kick-to-kick sessions with the kids from Birch Court, Narre Warren.
Among them were next-door neighbour and future Carlton star Brendan Fevola.
"We'd put jumpers down to mark the goals at each end and kick back and forth until the stars came out," he said.
"We were always competing.
"If you couldn't mark, you'd try and knock it away.
"Brendan would always be looking to roost it longer than we could. He was always a standout."
While Newman may not have the profile of Carlton's glamour full-forward, long-time Tiger insiders regard him as one of the younger brigade premierships are built around.
"He's cool and composed, a good driver in heavy traffic," the club's media director and lifelong supporter Tony Greenberg said. "He stands the opposition's best small forward every week.
"He also does the kick-ins.
"His skills are so good.
"He's got a terrific temperament."
But Newman admits some days are better than others. After holding Fremantle's Jeff Farmer to only a few kicks (in Round 4), the left-footer conceded five goals to St Kilda's livewire goalsneak Stephen Milne (Round 5).
Newman said Richmond's roller-coaster season might yet have some more bumps, but that was inevitable with any side learning a new style under a new coach.
"We're all working on our consistency," he said. "We tend not to do the right things all the time, but eventually it'll come, especially with a bit of work on the track."
Approaching yesterday's crunch game against the Blues, he said it was important after the highs of the Port Adelaide match to be equally hungry for the ball and look to attack at all costs.
"We haven't always performed well in front of big crowds, so we treated it as a pretty big occasion," he said.
He says the winning feeling surrounding Matthew Richardson's 200th game in Round 6 created extra bubble all week at Punt Rd.
He said yesterday's game yesterday and next Sunday's big one against another old rival Collingwood are stepping stones in the bigger picture in Richmond's revival.
"The boys are happy with winning," he said.
"But in the back of our minds we know how far we have to go as well.
"Winning certainly beats losing."
Recruited in the bottom of the 2000 intake -- at No.55 -- he has played four seasons in Richmond's senior side, reaching his 50-game milestone last year.
He escaped serious kidney damage late last season in a collision with teammate Chris Hyde. While he missed the last three games, he regained his senior spot from the start of this year,
impressing new coach Terry Wallace with his mixture of skilful disposal and determined, unflustered attitude.
LAST year Newman played 19 consecutive matches before being injured against Adelaide in Round 20.
His stats were impressive: 152 kicks, 101 handballs and 66 marks.
Newman said the Tigers had a nice mix of experience and fine young players.
It was up to those in their early 20s such as himself and others in his 2000 intake such as Kayne Pettifer, Mark Coughlan and Andrew Krakouer to emerge and show the way for the first-year players such as high-profile draft choices Richard Tambling and Brett Deledio.
"We all realise we have to take that next step and start to produce consistently," he said.
"We have generally been fairly competitive, but we need to keep improving each week.
"As Terry says being able to move the ball as quick as possible is a real key for is.
"We want to play an exciting brand of football which draws big crowds."
Newman played his junior football at Narre Warren and Beaconsfield before being invited to the Dandenong Stingrays.
He originally barracked for Carlton and his hero was the much-decorated Stephen Silvagni.
Away from football he has completed a short course in real estate and is studying Spanish along with several of his teammates, with an aim to use it sometime in the off-season come the holidays.
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