Leigh Newton
Encyclopedia
Leigh Newton is a former Australian rules football
er who played for the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). Newton, a ruckman, played 13 matches for Melbourne in his first season at the club, 1997. After being struck down by injuries the next two seasons and not playing a senior match as a result, Newton was delisted at the end of 1999. Despite being delisted, Newton remained with the club for many years, working as a ruck coach and media manager, before moving clubs to become Hawthorn
's ruck coach in 2009.
, a small town of around 200 people, located near Wangaratta in north-eastern Victoria
. He began playing football for Whorouly Football Club, located near his hometown of Whitfield, in the Ovens & King Football League
, first playing senior football at the age of 15. Later he moved to play for the larger Albury Football Club
in the Ovens & Murray Football League
, before being selected to play for the Murray Bushrangers
in the TAC Cup
. A ruckman, Newton played for Albury and for the Bushrangers in 1996, earning the attention of AFL recruiters by winning the award for the best and fairest
player in the Ovens & Murray Football League, the Morris Medal. Despite not being selected in the 1996 AFL Draft
, Newton was invited to do a pre-season with Melbourne in the hope of being selected in the pre-season draft. He had an impressive pre-season; his track work was described as "stunning", put on a lot of muscle and playing well in intra-club and practice matches. As a result, Melbourne selected Newton with their first selection (third overall) in the pre-season draft, as a back-up for Brownlow Medal
winner, Jim Stynes
.
match, a loss to Carlton
. Having been dubbed Melbourne's "key signing" of the off-season, the expectation at the start of the season was that Newton would "play at some stage". Newton made his AFL debut in round 3 against Sydney
, kicking a goal with his first kick. He remained in the side for the next two matches before being dropped for round 6. Newton was back in the team the following week against Fremantle
and his performance was described as "encourag[ing]". Two weeks later, Newton kicked two of Melbourne's three goals in a big loss to Port Adelaide
. In round 10, after playing in five consecutive losses to begin his career, Newton played in his first AFL victory in match where he was occasionally a tall target in Melbourne's forward line. At the halfway mark of the season, Newton's "encouraging" form was described as one of the few good points of the Demons' disappointing season. Newton missed the next three games after his first win, but was recalled to the side in round 14 and remained it until round 20, kicking three goals in the seven matches. He was injured in the round 20 game against West Coast
and subsequently missed the rest of the season.
After a promising first season in which he played 13 games, Newton was expected to improve in 1998 and become a regular in the side. However, Newton was sidelined by a groin strain early in the season, which recurred regularly throughout 1998, with Newton only returning to the reserves in mid-July. His groin injury again flared up and, by August, it became so bad that he was required to miss the rest of the season. After his horror 1998 season, Newton had a much better pre-season for 1999. He played a practice match against Fremantle and was considered to be on track to play in round 1. Midway through April, Newton played his first full game in the reserves, kicking four goals in the process, only for a hernia operation to sideline him for a month. He returned to the reserves in June, but then suffered a shoulder injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season. After two injury-riddled seasons where he was unable to make a senior appearance, Newton was delisted by the Demons at the end of 1999. He nominated for the pre-season draft, but was unsuccessful and so retired from football.
.
in the Ovens & Murray Football League. In 2007, Newton was in a relationship with runner Joanna Wall.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). Newton, a ruckman, played 13 matches for Melbourne in his first season at the club, 1997. After being struck down by injuries the next two seasons and not playing a senior match as a result, Newton was delisted at the end of 1999. Despite being delisted, Newton remained with the club for many years, working as a ruck coach and media manager, before moving clubs to become Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
's ruck coach in 2009.
Early life
Newton is originally from WhitfieldWhitfield, Victoria
Whitfield is an agricultural township in the King Valley in north-eastern Victoria.- Overview :The township is immediately west of the flood-prone King River and has State Forest to its west and east. Agriculture extends along several stream valleys which are tributaries of the King River...
, a small town of around 200 people, located near Wangaratta in north-eastern Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He began playing football for Whorouly Football Club, located near his hometown of Whitfield, in the Ovens & King Football League
Ovens & King Football League
300px|thumb|right|O&K 2007 Thirds Grand Final between Whorouly and North WangarattaThe Ovens & King Football League is a minor country Australian rules football league based in Northeastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla....
, first playing senior football at the age of 15. Later he moved to play for the larger Albury Football Club
Albury Football Club
The Albury Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Ovens & Murray Football League.The club is based in Albury, New South Wales.Two Brownlow Medallists, Haydn Bunton senior and Denis Ryan, both started their career at Albury....
in the Ovens & Murray Football League
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
, before being selected to play for the Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier...
in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
. A ruckman, Newton played for Albury and for the Bushrangers in 1996, earning the attention of AFL recruiters by winning the award for the best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
player in the Ovens & Murray Football League, the Morris Medal. Despite not being selected in the 1996 AFL Draft
1996 AFL Draft
The 1996 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
, Newton was invited to do a pre-season with Melbourne in the hope of being selected in the pre-season draft. He had an impressive pre-season; his track work was described as "stunning", put on a lot of muscle and playing well in intra-club and practice matches. As a result, Melbourne selected Newton with their first selection (third overall) in the pre-season draft, as a back-up for Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
winner, Jim Stynes
Jim Stynes
James "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....
.
AFL career
Only one week after being drafted, Newton played in Melbourne's only 1997 Ansett Australia Cup1997 Ansett Australia Cup
The 1997 AFL Ansett Australia Cup was the Australian Football League Pre-season Cup competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 1997 Premiership Season began. It culminated the Final in March 1997.- Final Placings :1. Carlton...
match, a loss to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. Having been dubbed Melbourne's "key signing" of the off-season, the expectation at the start of the season was that Newton would "play at some stage". Newton made his AFL debut in round 3 against Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, kicking a goal with his first kick. He remained in the side for the next two matches before being dropped for round 6. Newton was back in the team the following week against Fremantle
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
and his performance was described as "encourag[ing]". Two weeks later, Newton kicked two of Melbourne's three goals in a big loss to Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
. In round 10, after playing in five consecutive losses to begin his career, Newton played in his first AFL victory in match where he was occasionally a tall target in Melbourne's forward line. At the halfway mark of the season, Newton's "encouraging" form was described as one of the few good points of the Demons' disappointing season. Newton missed the next three games after his first win, but was recalled to the side in round 14 and remained it until round 20, kicking three goals in the seven matches. He was injured in the round 20 game against West Coast
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
and subsequently missed the rest of the season.
After a promising first season in which he played 13 games, Newton was expected to improve in 1998 and become a regular in the side. However, Newton was sidelined by a groin strain early in the season, which recurred regularly throughout 1998, with Newton only returning to the reserves in mid-July. His groin injury again flared up and, by August, it became so bad that he was required to miss the rest of the season. After his horror 1998 season, Newton had a much better pre-season for 1999. He played a practice match against Fremantle and was considered to be on track to play in round 1. Midway through April, Newton played his first full game in the reserves, kicking four goals in the process, only for a hernia operation to sideline him for a month. He returned to the reserves in June, but then suffered a shoulder injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season. After two injury-riddled seasons where he was unable to make a senior appearance, Newton was delisted by the Demons at the end of 1999. He nominated for the pre-season draft, but was unsuccessful and so retired from football.
Post-AFL career
In 2003, Newton was named Melbourne's media manager, a role he filled for six seasons. In conjunction with his media responsibilities, Newton also became the Demons' ruck coach in 2008. Newton left the Demons at the end of 2008, becoming the ruck coach at Hawthorn and also the public relations and marketing executive of the Moonee Valley Racing ClubMoonee Valley Racing Club
The Moonee Valley Racing Club is located at the Moonee Valley racecourse on McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds . It is one of three racing clubs in the Melbourne metropolitan area; the others are the Victoria Racing Club and the Melbourne Racing Club...
.
Personal life
Newton's three brothers, Michael, Cohan and Brent, are all accomplished country football players in the Ovens & King Football League and the Ovens & Murray Football League. Newton's father, Laurie, played football for Wangaratta Football ClubWangaratta Football Club
The Wangaratta Magpies Football Club, officially known as the Wangaratta Magpies Football & Netball Club is an Australian rules football club which play in the Ovens and Murray Football League based in Wangaratta, Victoria at the Wangaratta Showgrounds....
in the Ovens & Murray Football League. In 2007, Newton was in a relationship with runner Joanna Wall.
External links
- Leigh Newton's profile on the Official AFL Website of the Melbourne Football Club