RECRUIT Nic Newman says he has been impressed by the high standards driven at Carlton.

Speaking to media following a gruelling Open Training session on Friday, the 25-year-old said he saw plenty of emerging talent within the group. 

“I’ve loved my time here so far. The team has been so welcoming,” he said.

“Coming from Sydney was a big move and I didn’t know what to expect coming to a new club, but I’ve been really pleased and surprised about how upbeat and professional it is.

“There are so many young, talented players they’ve got here. So many of them show flashes of brilliance at training and some guys have really stepped up in their consistency, guys like Samo Petrevski-Seton – he’s really improved his running and he’s moving across the ground really well.

“Zac Fisher does some really freakish things at training. Our big boys down forward too - Harry McKay has had a big pre-season. Obviously, Charlie, everyone knows what he can do. Gov, from the bits and pieces we’ve seen, has been really impressive and then even through to the guys like Crippa who lead from the front. He has dropped a few kilos and he is moving really well.

"I’ve been impressed with a lot of guys."

Newman played two seasons for the Swans at senior level, gaining finals experience after playing in the final eight games of the 2018 season.

He said the Blues’ Director of High Performance Andrew Russell had made a significant impact on the group. 

“The players have really good standards and I’ve been really impressed. Having Andrew Russell coming across from Hawthorn has been awesome as well and I can’t speak highly enough of the impact he has had on the group and the standards he brought across from Hawthorn.”

Of Friday’s three-hour Open Training Session, Newman said the challenge demonstrated the players' endurance. 

“The heat tests the mental side as much as the physical side,” he said. 

“You find out about some certain guys that dig in. The blessing is we have so many of those guys at the moment. We have a pretty healthy list. A lot of guys are out there training and have really good numbers.”

A viewing session will be held this Monday February 28, with limited autograph opportunities.