Murray Newman reveals why he knocked back a contract extension

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http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/west-coast/former-west-coast-eagles-forward-murray-newman-eyes-another-afl-comeback-via-swan-districts/news-story/103edfb0078878b6ae632f243c2a0b86

FORMER West Coast forward Murray Newman has revealed he knocked back a contract extension at the Eagles due to being “mentally fatigued’’ following a turbulent four-year stint in the AFL.

In his first interview since being released from prison in September 2014, Newman said he needed to go back to his original WAFL club Swan Districts to rediscover his passion for footy and “find himself’’ again.

The 22-year-old, selected with West Coast’s first pick in the 2011 national draft, said he was determined to earn another chance in the AFL after playing just six games for the Eagles.

Newman was retained on West Coast’s rookie list last season and broke back into the team for a fairytale comeback in Round 21, more than three years after his previous AFL appearance.

The Eagles were considering Newman for a spot on their 2016 rookie list, but he told them he wanted to leave.

“I know that I may never get drafted again, but it was just something I had to do,’’ he told TheSunday Times.