Local tops with Tigers

– Marc McGowan
FORMER Narre Warren footballer Chris Newman is hoping to match his junior success at AFL level after assuming Richmond’s captaincy last week.
The 26-year-old half-back flanker won a horde of junior premierships at the Magpies alongside fellow AFL stars Adam McPhee and Matthew Boyd.
But Newman, who has played 133 games for the Tigers, owns the dubious honour of playing the most AFL matches without competing in a final.
“It’s nothing to be proud of. I’m hoping to rectify that as quickly as I can and I think we’re in a really good position to do so,” the former Dandenong Stingray said.
“If we weren’t to play finals next year it would be a step backwards and we want to keep moving forward and show improvement each year.”
The captaincy highlight caps a big year for Newman that included a career-best fourth placing in the Tigers’ best-and-fairest award.
“It’s come at a good time because I think we have a good group of young blokes mixed with a good group of experienced blokes – it’s an exciting time,” he said.
“I always thought I was in the running, but it was a shock in terms of looking back to when I first started.
“I never imagined I’d be captain, but as time went on I was in the right place at the right time and fortunately I got the nod.”
Richmond selected Newman with the 55th pick in the 2000 AFL national draft – the same draft that produced the likes of Nick Riewoldt, Alan Didak and Daniel Kerr.