Tag: Brodie Newman

Inside the Brodie Newman sanctum

Leader, self-taught hairdresser and everything else

Written by Jarryd Barca

Thirty-six disposals, 17 marks, seven rebound 50s and three tackles – meet Brodie Newman.

That was the output from Calder’s Under 18 boys captain in their Round 5 clash against the Geelong Falcons. 

Oh… and he’s a key defender.

But don’t be fooled, Calder sent the ball inside 50 more often than its opponent.

It was the second time the 18-year-old has led the disposal count for the Cannons this season and he is the second ranked player in the NAB League for average marks per game (7.5) despite missing Round 4. 

The 193cm defender’s impressive performance ironically came just two days after appearing on the ‘Cannons Uncovered’ podcast, where he singled out Richmond’s Nick Vlastuin as a player he keeps a close eye on as a high possession-winning defender.

Vlastuin collected 28 touches against the Demons on Anzac Day eve in a near best-on performance against Melbourne in Round 6 of the AFL.

“He’s a really hard worker. You know Richmond’s back six – Alex Rance, Grimes – they get a big wrap but the guys like David Asbury and Nick Vlastuin, I don’t think they get a big enough wrap,” Newman said.

“You saw last night he was the leading disposal winner for Richmond. He’s great, just someone I really like to watch.”

The aspiring defender acquitted himself with credence in the NAB League contest, often acting as a brick wall for Falcon midfielders and the mastermind behind many of Calder’s offensive thrusts. 

While he did his chances of being drafted at the end of the season no harm, he also lured nothing but praise from his coaches post-game.

“I thought Brodie Newman was outstanding across half back,” assistant coach Brett Gourley said.

“In terms of individual efforts it’s probably one of the best games from a Cannon that I’ve seen. 

“Obviously missing Brodie last week was a huge factor against Tasmania, he’s a quality player, a quality person and a quality leader. 

“We’re just happy any time that he steps out in a Cannons jumper because we know it’s going to make our job as coaches easier and also helps the players a lot as well.” 

Newman missed the side’s Round 4 match-up against the Tasmania Devils after being selected in the Under 18 Vic Metro squad.

Teammates Sam Ramsay, Curtis Brown, Harrison Jones, Campbell Edwardes and Daniel Mott were also selected to take on Vic Country.

Newman said it was a privilege to be a part of the squad and give himself another platform to prove himself as a capable footballer, now a chance to represent the Metro in the AFL National Championships in June. 

“It was the first real hit-out against Country and it was just good to get a feel for it above standard and hopefully I get the chance in June,” Newman said. 

“It was just good to get out there and have a hit with the boys, most of the boys that played we were with in early December and then early January on our camp so it was good to finally get a go with them actually on the field instead of just training.” 

Newman was in the Cannons leadership group last season and he admitted captaining the side was a major goal to work towards.

“To be announced captain of this group was something that I was really proud of and really honoured to be a part of,” he said.

“The bunch of boys that we’ve got this year are just fantastic, we’re a really tight-knit group as we talk about every week (and) nearly every day at training. To lead those boys out every week is just an honour, it’s fantastic.

“I’ve got Daniel Mott and Harry Minton-Connell by my side as vice captains and they’re great as well,” he added. 

“There’s plenty of leaders scattered who aren’t labelled as leaders but there’s plenty of them scattered throughout, even the younger guys coming through, they’re even standing up as leaders so they make my job really easy and at the end of the day I’m just another player.”

It’s everyone’s childhood dream to be drafted, but a sign of Newman’s maturity comes from his will to be the best possible leader. 

“I just want to play, personally, consistent footy and try to lead the boys as best I can and try and get the best out of the guys coming through,” he said. 

“It is the first time (for) some of the boys playing elite level footy, so (I) just try and be a role model for them. 

“As an 18-year-old you are trying to play your best footy and keep developing so it is finding the balance between being keeping that team-orientated mentality and also making sure that you put your best foot forward and show people what you can do.

“I think as a captain I’ve got to put the team first and that’s what I’m trying to do week in, week out.

“The leaders I had last year – Mitch Podhajski – the way they took the young guys under their wing was something that I found really helpful so I’m just trying to mirror that this year, that’s one of my goals.” 

The bachelor of business management student at RMIT said there are both pros and cons to no longer having to juggle Year 12 commitments with football anymore – like the vast majority of the league are currently doing. 

“In terms of individual efforts it’s probably one of the best games from a Cannon that I’ve seen.”

He also spends two days a week working at a freights and removals company and one night a week at local footy club Aberfeldie’s canteen. 

“Not being at school gives you a lot of time to relax, kind of do your recovery and focus a lot more on your footy,” he said.

“But you’ve got to keep busy when you finish and some boys struggle to do that and they just go into that footy orientated mindset, so I thought it was really important to do something this year.”

Perth-born Newman spoke of a specific ritual that he sticks by at every game that he plays.  

“I’ve got this really old pair of boots – they never get worn – but they just come to every game with me and just sit there in the bag, it’s a silly one but they just sit in the bag,” he said. 

“They never get chucked on.”

When questioned, Newman assured that the boots are not homogeneous to ‘Like Mike’ style basketball sneakers with super playing-ability powers. 

And if football and business management both don’t come off, Newman – who cuts his own hair every fortnight – could always derive a career out of hairdressing.

“I did a little trim, a little polish up for the boys down at the (Queenscliff) camp, It was six or seven boys who wanted a trim so I thought ‘yeah I’ll give them a trim’ and they were happy with it,” he explained.

The infamous camp cut was then known as ‘The Brodie’. 

If his performance against the Falcons is anything to go by, then Newman has no doubt dipped his toes into AFL waters. 

Listen to Brodie’s full interview on our podcast below.

“Mercurial” Kemp praised

 Written by Jarryd Barca

Calder Cannons Under 18 boys assistant coach Chris Nolan named forward-mid Joshua Kemp as one of his stand out performers in the team’s Round 2 loss against the Oakleigh Chargers.

Kemp was a live-wire for the Cannons up forward booting three of the team’s seven goals of the contest, two of which coming in a five-goal second quarter blitz by the home side.

The 19-year-old collected nine disposals for the game and took three marks in an effective performance in tough conditions. 

“I thought Josh Kemp was really dangerous – he looked like the ‘Kempy’ of last year at times today,” Nolan said post-game.

“You really don’t want to give him five yards as an opponent when he’s on because he can be quite mercurial.”

Two quick-succession goals on each side of Kemp’s last quarter snap in the ninth minute saw the Chargers steer clear by 23 points when the final siren sounded at a wet and windy Highgate Recreation Reserve. 

Nolan also sung the praises of midfielders Harrison Minton-Connell and Sam Ramsay, as well as defenders Mason Fletcher and Brodie Newman. 

The Cannons gave up a four-goal head start and were held scoreless at quarter time to trail by 28 points. 

But the table completely flipped, with the Cannons returning serve to hold the fancied Chargers scoreless in a second quarter that saw the home side pile on five unanswered goals. 

“It was the most animated I’ve heard Ross (coach Ross Smith) since he joined the club,” Nolan said of his quarter-time address.

Calder was also held goalless in the first half of its Round 1 match against the Sandringham Dragons, while they gave up a five-goal head start to the Eastern Ranges in a practice match a week earlier. 

“It was three weeks in a row we haven’t got out of the blocks so he had every right to give the boys a rocket, he challenged a few of them and a couple of the challenged actually stood up,” Nolan said. 

“The effort after quarter time was pretty good, not good enough at the end of the day but a big improvement on last week.”

The one-goal lead at half time was short lived and despite the brave effort, the Cannons recorded their second loss in as many weeks to start the NAB League season. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom according to Nolan who, proud of the boys’ fightback, noticed their “desire for the contest” was a lot stronger than Round 1. 

“I thought we hunted the ball a lot better,” he said.

“We found ways to stay involved, and guys that weren’t getting clean disposals found ways to get involved.

“In the end we gave up 28 points, nosed in front, five minutes to go we have the ball at the top of the forward 50 and if you penetrate deep there you just don’t know what happens. 

“Instead we gave the whole length of the field and they scored, it just comes down to moments sometimes. You can get so close, but they kicked another one and it gets out to three (goals) and a bit instead of one.”

The question back to the group post-game was whether they need to revamp their pre-game preparations, after again being slow out of the blocks.

“We don’t want to be where we were today at quarter time next week,” Nolan said.

“We’ve got to, for confidence sake and reward for effort, get out of the blocks and hopefully really work towards a win next week against the Jets.”