Nic Newman is one of a number of journeymen at Carlton whose fortunes rise and fall with the dominance or otherwise of the midfield brigade. If the likes of Cripps and Curnow are putting enough pressure on the opposition engine room, there is plenty of ball for the likes of Newman and Sam Docherty to share on the outside. Today the Blues come up against a sorely undermanned West Coast who dropped the guts of their team at selection due to injury, so he and other outside runners for the Bluebaggers could be lucrative picks for daily fantasy.
Nic Newman is one of a number of journeymen at Carlton whose fortunes rise and fall with the dominance or otherwise of the midfield brigade. If the likes of Cripps and Curnow are putting enough pressure on the opposition engine room, there is plenty of ball for the likes of Newman and Sam Docherty to share on the outside. Today the Blues come up against a sorely undermanned West Coast who dropped the guts of their team at selection due to injury, so he and other outside runners for the Bluebaggers could be lucrative picks for daily fantasy.
Newman is a Blue man
The stars aligned for Nic Newman to be Carlton's most rewarding recruit of 2019, leading the club for metres gained with 466 per match and finishing fifth across the league for rebound 50s. The ex-Swan produced his most respectable fantasy season to date, pumping out a career-high 135 against the Eagles, with seven more 100+ scores proving it was no fluke. With a fit Sam Docherty walking back into the squad and Kade Simpson sticking around, Newman's role becomes salted with a touch of uncertainty. Watch the trio over the preseason to see how they gel, and if Newman isn't thrown a curveball with a move up the ground then pick him in middle rounds.
Nic Newman had a stellar debut for Carlton in their relatively close loss to Richmond last week, fitting in beautifully to the hole left by the injured Sam Docherty as the Blues stuffed around with the ball on the rebound and he racked up meaningless touches. With no indication that Brendon Bolton is going to stop the ball-retention game plan any time soon, many fantasy coaches who didn't own him were eyeing him off during the week, and thousands brought him into their sides. Can he back it up away to Port?
New club, new challenge
Swans coach John Longmire loves a scapegoat, and after trading Tom Mitchell out it was Nic Newman who seemed to be in his bad books last year, playing only three games before round 17. His best form from 2017 involved 20 mostly uncontested possessions running forward from a HBF. He started preseason training at Carlton not long before Sam Docherty tore his ACL for the second time. Newman will endeavour to help Blue fans not get so mopey about losing Docherty for the second year running, and in the Brendon Bolton system he will have plenty of scope to rack up touches in space as the team tries to monopolise the footy. Many eyes in the fantasy world will be upon him in preseason as he learns how to position himself to receive in what could be a very lucrative role.
Nic Newman is back in the Sydney seniors team for the moment covering for injuries, but he is in danger of becoming the next Tom Mitchell as it appears that he is not particularly well loved by his coach who would prefer to see him in the NEAFL. Like Titchell, Newman can be chipped for his decision making and defensive efforts, but he also shares with the new Hawk an ability to go where the football is and rack up statistics in pleasing amounts for fantasy coaches. Speculation about a move to the Gold Coast next season might unlock his value.
Nic was the new man
Coming off a NEAFL average of 28 disposals in his third listed season, Nic Newman became a fantasy revelation on his senior debut, playing every game after a 35-disposal performance in round 8 though he couldn't manage back-to-back 20-touch totals after the bye. Like most classic HBFs, 70% of his ball comes on the outside and his signature play is the zone-off to link up with a long kick down the wing, though 70% efficiency is low for a player in that position where the norm is about ten points higher. This was a classic case of the sleeper waking, a frequent occurrence at Sydney in recent years as their list is so stacked. If Newman can continue the form he showed in his first year and add more statistical consistency - as well as cleaning up his decision making, lest he fall foul of a coach who tends to find a scapegoat when things turn pear-shaped - he is well worth an early round selection given the small number of premium fantasy backs as he still has double digits of upside.
