I hope Michael Newton gets another opportunity to prove himself at a senior level this year as his performance today at Casey was very impressive. He has always has the talent but now also seems to have the work rate and physical maturity to match it. His vertical leap and second efforts have helped him develop into a handy ruckman making him a more versatile and mobile key position player. Let's not write off this much maligned player just yet - he may yet prove to have a future role in our club.

Forget it....he has had enough chances

I hope Michael Newton gets another opportunity to prove himself at a senior level this year as his performance today at Casey was very impressive. He has always has the talent but now also seems to have the work rate and physical maturity to match it. His vertical leap and second efforts have helped him develop into a handy ruckman making him a more versatile and mobile key position player. Let's not write off this much maligned player just yet - he may yet prove to have a future role in our club.

I agree = deserves another opportunity.

I agree = deserves another opportunity.

how many chances do you give a guy? has shown every time he gets a senior game he is just not up to it

how many chances do you give a guy? has shown every time he gets a senior game he is just not up to it

As many as Jamar perhaps. Everyone here was going on about how useless Jamar was, now he is god.

Perplexing player.

Showed real intensity today. What is it that makes him unable to bring that to senior footy?

how many chances do you give a guy? has shown every time he gets a senior game he is just not up to it

Like all human beings- some mature quicker than others- he may be alightly slower ,al be it he is only just turned 23. Not old for a tall player.

I agree = deserves another opportunity.

Is it possible to keep him as a rookie?

omg get rid of him

these same people will bag him again when he is useless back in the ones

newton = not up to it

he has kicked bags in the ressies before and done nothing in the seniors

pull ur heads in, theres a reason he is a rookie

how many chances do you give a guy? has shown every time he gets a senior game he is just not up to it

Just look at Brad Miller. If we're being fair, newton deserves at least as many games that miller got.

I hope Michael Newton gets another opportunity to prove himself at a senior level this year as his performance today at Casey was very impressive. He has always has the talent but now also seems to have the work rate and physical maturity to match it. His vertical leap and second efforts have helped him develop into a handy ruckman making him a more versatile and mobile key position player. Let's not write off this much maligned player just yet - he may yet prove to have a future role in our club.

Oh Gaaaaaahd.

I was Newton's biggest supporter on here, maybe besides Freak and perhaps Jaded. And even I'm off his bandwagon.

I remember back at Sandy I think he kicked 6 in a game, or got close to it. This week's match is really nothing new for him. He's a very good VFL player. And as a footballer has plenty of the gifts you'd need to be at least serviceable in the AFL. But time and again he's failed. The only thing deserting Michael Newton on the big day so far has been Michael Newton.

It's strange to say it, but if he came in for the last 6 or so weeks and kicked 3 goals a week, it would almost be worse for the team. I don't think he has what it takes to be a premiership player, and if he's not that at this stage of the list's development, he has to go.

I still love him and reckon he's awesome to watch when up and going, but then I have a similar soft spot for Miller. Teams like Geelong and the Saints laugh at names like these two. As much as it hurst to say it.

I actually think he is worth persisting with on the rookie list.

It's not like we'd be giving up much to keep him there and if he does finally find "it", we'll have handy depth.

I don't think it's a great time to be stocking up on rookie spots considering GWS and GC17 are altering the depth of the draft.

I hope Michael Newton gets another opportunity to prove himself at a senior level this year as his performance today at Casey was very impressive. He has always has the talent but now also seems to have the work rate and physical maturity to match it. His vertical leap and second efforts have helped him develop into a handy ruckman making him a more versatile and mobile key position player. Let's not write off this much maligned player just yet - he may yet prove to have a future role in our club.

Very much agree. Newton was very close to best on ground IMO today. Let's hope Jamar is a good parrallel

Edited July 3, 201015 yr by DeesPower

I hope Michael Newton gets another opportunity to prove himself at a senior level this year as his performance today at Casey was very impressive. He has always has the talent but now also seems to have the work rate and physical maturity to match it. His vertical leap and second efforts have helped him develop into a handy ruckman making him a more versatile and mobile key position player. Let's not write off this much maligned player just yet - he may yet prove to have a future role in our club.

agreed, Even though Spencer is still young and developing. I would prefer Newton in the team over Spencer. With Newton competing as a second ruckman and second and third efforts being a feature. He can also be a pinch hit up forward as well, and could add a lot more value to the team than some might expect.

agreed, Even though Spencer is still young and developing. I would prefer Newton in the team over Spencer. With Newton competing as a second ruckman and second and third efforts being a feature. He can also be a pinch hit up forward as well, and could add a lot more value to the team than some might expect.

Will Newton ever really make it at senior level? If he does it will be as a back up ruck/forward similar to Leigh Brown. Come September teams go with 2 big ruckman, its a proven recipe. Spencer has the height to become a strong tap ruckman, unfortunately he's at the level of Jamar 2002 probably, and whilst I didn't see Jamar coming and I don't see Spencer making it any time soon for development of proper back up rucks he might be worth a game.

Newton may be worth keeping as pure depth, but that is all. No doubt Casey would love us to keep him on the rookie list.

Like all human beings- some mature quicker than others- he may be alightly slower ,al be it he is only just turned 23. Not old for a tall player.

I think you've nailed it jcb (though I think mentioning that he is tall is a red herring). I suspect 99% of Newton's issues have been above the shoulders, and there's lots of studies that show that many men don't fully mature until their mid 20s. It could be that he's on the brink of maturity and is finally starting to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Unfortunately for him it's about a year too late for his AFL career because as has been said already, you can't wait forever.

there's lots of studies that show that many men don't fully mature until their mid 20s.

shyte. I'm behind the curve on that one too...

Oh Gaaaaaahd.

I was Newton's biggest supporter on here, maybe besides Freak and perhaps Jaded. And even I'm off his bandwagon.

I remember back at Sandy I think he kicked 6 in a game, or got close to it. This week's match is really nothing new for him. He's a very good VFL player. And as a footballer has plenty of the gifts you'd need to be at least serviceable in the AFL. But time and again he's failed. The only thing deserting Michael Newton on the big day so far has been Michael Newton.

It's strange to say it, but if he came in for the last 6 or so weeks and kicked 3 goals a week, it would almost be worse for the team. I don't think he has what it takes to be a premiership player, and if he's not that at this stage of the list's development, he has to go.

I still love him and reckon he's awesome to watch when up and going, but then I have a similar soft spot for Miller. Teams like Geelong and the Saints laugh at names like these two. As much as it hurst to say it.

Exactly right. At best he is there as back up. When Melbourne's forward line was at its weakest he still couldn't get a regular game or have any impact whatsoever. Now with players coming back in he is even further back. He would need 5 BOG's at Casey before any notice should be taken.

I actually think he is worth persisting with on the rookie list.

It's not like we'd be giving up much to keep him there and if he does finally find "it", we'll have handy depth.

I don't think it's a great time to be stocking up on rookie spots considering GWS and GC17 are altering the depth of the draft.

You are spot on and i think this may be his only saviour.

Just to short circuit the 'pick Newton' discussion circling all week. Newton isn't eligible to be selected for MFC. McKenzie is our nominated rookie for the 2nd half of the season and Spencer has occupied the spot with Petterd on LTI list.

Regarding the debate on the merits of retaining Newton on the rookie list, I doubt he would agree to be retained as a rookie for a 2nd year. From my perspective, he is playing for his career over the next few months, and that career is unlikely to be with Melbourne. Here are the Michael Newton options after this season:

1) Agree to be retained for another year as a rookie

2) Be promoted to the MFC senior list

3) Enter the draft in a bid to revive career elsewhere

I know which of those I see as the most likely.

Just to short circuit the 'pick Newton' discussion circling all week. Newton isn't eligible to be selected for MFC. McKenzie is our nominated rookie for the 2nd half of the season and Spencer has occupied the spot with Petterd on LTI list.

Regarding the debate on the merits of retaining Newton on the rookie list, I doubt he would agree to be retained as a rookie for a 2nd year. From my perspective, he is playing for his career over the next few months, and that career is unlikely to be with Melbourne. Here are the Michael Newton options after this season:

1) Agree to be retained for another year as a rookie

2) Be promoted to the MFC senior list

3) Enter the draft in a bid to revive career elsewhere

I know which of those I see as the most likely.

I could be wrong but i thought Hughes was promoted for Petterd. He played the week after Petterd went down. Mckenzie was the nominated rookie as you said.

The evidence of both McKenzie & Spencer playing today with only Petterd on LTI answers the question.

But wasn't Max Gawn also on the LTI? And spencer played i think round 1 with Petterd playing.

He's a good VFL player, nothing more.

Sorry Guys I'm confused on the current rookie list on the Mighty M.F.C site it does not list one M. Newton at all he's listed on the main list

Edited July 4, 201015 yr by deewakka

Sorry Guys I'm confused on the current rookie list on the Mighty M.F.C site it does not list one M. Newton at all he's listed on the main list

That's quite odd. He's still on the main list. However, we all know that he was rookied in last year's draft period. Odd, is it not?