Nick Newton: Lavington and Murray Bushrangers player selected for Young Guns game

The 19-year-old Lavington player will run out for the Young Guns against Vic Metro at Sandringham with the chance to put himself firmly in the shop window ahead of the mid-season draft.

Newton, a former Henty junior, has impressed in his first four games with the Murray Bushrangers since crossing from GWS Giants Academy, where he played in 2022, and is determined to show recruiters he's got what it takes to play at the top level.

"This is probably my main opportunity to showcase the type of player I am and what I'm good at," Newton said.

"Jai Culley, last year, played a good Young Guns game and that held him in pretty good stead to get picked up (by West Coast Eagles), so if I can put one good performance on the field, I'll be right.

"I'm hoping to get picked up in the mid-season draft, that would be ideal, but however it happens, I don't mind.

"After last year, it was disappointing not getting what I wanted out of it so that's been the reason for the big pre-season I've had.

"I've put on a couple of kgs as well, improved my strength, trying to look as good as I can and play as well as I can."

Newton played four games for the Giants last year but has noticed a difference since entering the Bushrangers program.

"It's been real good," he said.

"We trained three times a week throughout the pre-season so I got the most out of my body and got to the best fitness I could in that time.

"It's been a step up from the Giants Academy; a similar standard but more volume.

"At Bushies, you're training with the whole squad the whole time, and that drives the intensity, whereas at Giants it was only once every three weeks the whole squad trained together.

"I'm loving my footy at the moment.

"I'm coming off one of the best pre-seasons I've ever had and this is the fittest I've been."

Bushies coach Mark Brown has been impressed by Newton's skill set.

"Nick's a terrific kid and as a footballer, he's really developed over the summer and the early period of the season," Brown said.

"He's got a lot of very draftable traits; he's 188cm, he's got elite top-end speed and he's a beautiful kick on his left and right foot.

"There's a lot to like about him and he's slowly beginning to recognise how good a player he could become.

"He impressed last year with GWS and he made the Allies squad for nationals so he's a talented player.

"All credit goes to him, he's worked really hard to get a lot fitter this year and, as a result, he gets to more contests.

"He's still developing in that sense, he's still yet to realise how good he could become if he continues to work really hard and embrace playing 120 minutes of absolute effort but he's trending the right way."

Newton came through U14s and U17s at Henty but played just two senior games for the Swampies.

"I broke my arm in the second game and probably had 12 weeks off," he explained.

"That break from football hindered my progress but I was always training with the seniors at Henty so I was used to being around older people.

ALSO IN SPORT

"So, going to Lavi, I had a bit of confidence in that area and I must have made a good impression on 'Schneids' (coach Adam Schneider), who helped me with my confidence."

Newton played 12 games for the Panthers last season and was back in a Lavington jumper for the round four clash with Wangaratta Rovers two weeks ago.

"It's a good club feel and I love it there," Newton said.

"It's hard to explain but you can just go there and be yourself, have fun with the boys and play footy.

"That's all you can ask for out of a club.

"It's just the culture they've got and it's backed up by the way 'Schneids' goes about it.

"He's very family and club-orientated and gets the most out of his players no matter how good they are; he doesn't have any favourites."

Newton, who was named in the Ovens and Murray interleague squad, offers the sort of versatility which could make him an even more attractive proposition.

"It's an interesting one," Brown said.

"Because he's such a good size and because he's got such good speed and uses the ball so well, you can almost put him anywhere and he'll do a job.

"He played predominantly half-back with GWS and the Allies last year but we've given him a slightly different position in the first four games this year, playing him more as an inside mid.

"Having said that, as the season progresses, we'll give him different roles.

"I think he can do both inside and out, which is a rare trait.

"You play him inside, he's big, strong and powerful through the contest but it probably detracts from his kicking a little bit because you tend to be more under pressure.

"Whereas if you play him on the outside, at half-back, he can use his speed and his kicking.

"There's so much to like about him as a footballer and as a prospect simply because he's got some real AFL traits and he gives you so many options."

Also taking the field for the Young Guns is former Corowa-Rutherglen player Jedd Longmire.

"Jedd had a really good start to the year playing (in the VFL) with Collingwood," Brown said.

"He's probably played more forward of the footy than he traditionally has.

"He's a little bit like Nick in that he gives you some options.

"He's really effective forward and that's what he's done predominantly for Collingwood but I think he sees himself more as an inside midfielder.

"He's a good ball user also, a big, strong kid so he's had to do something slightly different at Collingwood early in the year but he's had some good games there and he's kicked a couple of bags.

"Both boys have been in good form and hopefully both of them perform well this weekend."

The Coates Talent League resumes on May 19-21.

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