After 268 games over 14 seasons, esteemed Richmond stalwart Chris Newman bowed out of league football last Sunday, when the Tigers were defeated by North Melbourne in the elimination final. In a special ‘Roar Vision’ interview, Newman caught up with former teammate Matthew Richardson to reflect on his distinguished league football journey. Here are Newman’s thoughts on a broad range of topics relating to his time at Tigerland.
On his arrival at Richmond in late 2000
“I’ll always remember the first day I walked into the place . . . Wayne Campbell had greeted me at the door. It was great to have him straight away welcoming me into the group. And, 2001 we did have a good season, made the preliminary final . . . I didn’t play (senior football) that year and I wasn’t part of the finals series. So that was always a real disappointment for me, but a great experience watching the guys go about it . . . I didn’t play for a year and a half, so I had to wait. But I played a couple of finals with Coburg (Richmond’s then VFL-aligned club), which was good.”
On the biggest influence early in his league career
“Probably (highly-skilled, rebounding Richmond backman) Leon Cameron the most, I’d say. He was great for me. The one thing that he drummed into me was getting my balance with offense and defence . . . He always used to say try and get a touch every five minutes. By the end of the game, you’ll end up with a few. He was great for me and my confidence.”
On taking over the captaincy at Tigerland
“It was a tough opening year as captain. There was a fair bit going on. Ben Cousins came to the Club, too, so the Club was under the microscope a fair bit. But it was great to still have a lot of leaders around, the older guys (the likes of Matthew Richardson, Wayne Campbell and Kane Johnson) there to guide me. That helped me through those times. I was really raw, but I was probably in the right position at the right time to get the captaincy . . .
On Damien Hardwick’s first season as coach in 2010
“That was really difficult . . . I don’t think we won a game until Round 10, or something like that. We were being compared to the worst team to ever play the game (at the highest level). But I always remember Damien keeping the vision well and truly in the forefront of our minds, and making sure that we stayed patient. And, we were fortunate enough to do that. We knew that we had a lot of talent around us, we just probably had to wait for that development. I think we’re seeing the end result of that now.
On his immense respect for the Richmond jumper
“It’s something I’m proud of, but something that was already present before I took over as captain. I think that was ingrained in me at a very young age coming into this club. We’ve always had respect for the jumper . . . we’ve never let the jumper hit the ground. All those sorts of things have really contributed to my passion for the jumper. I am really fortunate, and I do mean it every time I speak about it, I love putting it on with the boys before the game. I think that’s something we own, and something all players who aren’t playing aspire to be involved in. I’m extremely lucky to have worn the jumper . . .”
On being succeeded as captain by Trent Cotchin
“He was probably the natural next choice. I think he was ready, although he was quite young, a lot younger than me. I think every person who steps into the captaincy role has a little bit of that uncertainty. He probably took a couple of years to find his way, and get to the point now where the boys love going into battle behind him. And we know he does all the right things on the field. He leads the way, and represents the jumper as good as anyone I’ve ever seen. So he’s developed into a great captain. We all love him, we all respect him, and he’s got a huge amount of scope, I think, for improvement.”
On the Tigers’ on-field turnaround
“A lot of credit goes to the list management. Getting the right people in the right places, I think has been really important for this club, not only through the draft, but through the trade period. We’ve picked up a lot of great contributors to this club, and we’ve really molded into a team that has led into three successive finals campaigns. We know there’s a lot of work to do and we can get a lot better . . .”
On the mighty Tiger Army
“I’ve had a lot of support over the years and been really fortunate. I’ve always said that we’ve got the best fans in the world. They’re so passionate, regardless of how you’re going on-field . . . they always show up. They always stuck with us through dark times, so it’s good to see them now enjoying their football a little bit more.”
On Tiger mateship
“I had a fair bit to do with Kayne Pettifer, and he’s still one of my good mates. Brett Deledio’s another one I’ve formed a great friendship with. Then there’s some of the past players . . . yourself (Matthew Richardson), ‘The Tank’ (Wayne) Campbell, and Kane Johnson. Not only the players, but some staff as well . . . Mark Opie (long-time Richmond team manager) is a guy that comes to mind. He’s been great for me personally and for this club. He’s been one of my mentors throughout the years.”
On his next career move
“I’ll stay involved in football, whether that’s coaching or within the AFL. I don’t think I’ll go back to my bricklaying days . . . it’s not my go these days. If I had the opportunity to stay in the AFL system I would, definitely. That’d be my path if an opportunity comes my way.”
