“I SEE them on BeReal and I don’t get some of their jokes, and I think ‘how did this happen?’.”
Despite some references from younger teammates going over his head, there’s nothing Nic Newman appreciates more than fronting up to work at IKON Park.
Particularly given it meant putting a career in the construction industry on the back burner, where he admits he “wasn’t on the path to greatness”.
Heading into another season of senior football, Newman - who turns 30 in a fortnight - is just as excited for this one as he was his first.
Eyes on 150 for these two - plus many more - in 2023!
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) January 3, 2023
Which Blues could be in line for milestones this home-and-away season? The full list 👇
He’s been made to do it the hard way, coming through the VFL as a mature-age recruit and dealing with some unique, unlucky injuries along the way, but the former Frankston Dolphin believes it’s all been an education piece.
“Some people might look at me like I have done it the hard way, but I’m really thankful for all the lessons I have learned along the way,” Newman told The Herald Sun.
“I love coming to work each day and getting up and about, and the younger boys hanging it on me.
“As much as the on-field success drives me, when I look back on this place I want to say I have helped contribute to a positive culture. Hopefully that translates to some on-field success, because the footy club deserves it.”
Finishing the 2022 campaign as Carlton’s Best Clubman for the second time in three years, Newman is well on the way to doing just that.
The gruelling end to last season was exactly that for Newman, who was on course to play every game in a year for the first time before a lacerated knee - as injury he described as “a freak accident” - kept him on the sidelines for the final three weeks.
“Then, there was an infection, too, so it was a bit of a debacle… it’s all good now,” he said.
“It was hard watching from the sidelines because you feel so helpless… we have got no one else to blame and nowhere else to look but ourselves.
“The fire in the belly is definitely there. Nothing drastic is changing, it’s just about getting better… we have definitely got to earn the right to win some more games next year. It’s on us, and that’s exciting.
“I thank my lucky stars someone took a chance on a chubby kid from Frankston.”
To read the full article in The Herald Sun, click here (subscription required).
