List Mgmt. Ben Newton signs with Melbourne as a DFA

[PA88]

Do we know the full details though? ... one report mentioned that the contract offered was not all that great. Until we know what Port offered him, and what they told him regarding his future with us, add to that the fact that he was definitely offered as trade bait ... well its pretty stiff for us to judge him IMO. He is clearly list-fill only ATM, and way down the pecking order for his position. He also doesnt have the speed & versatility to play elsewhere, so the writing has to be on the wall regarding his future at Port.

He tried, we tried .... All the best to him.

How is it known that he was definitely put up for trade? There was paper speculation for what its worth but what else? I didn't read or hear anything from those that matter, as in manager, Hinkley, KT, Newton. Did I miss it?

 

[Seanybruz]

St Kilda would be mad not to take him first given the age/talent imbalance in their midfield.

 

[Dez!]

I don't think Newton is a delisted free agent - Melbourne would have to get him via the drafts.

From what I've been told Port delisted him in good faith so he was able to become a DFA which was a class move by them allowing him to pick his club.

Don't know anything outside of what's been written in those articles about clearances and good kick.

Any real standout qualities to him?

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Funny how the basement dweller nearly beat you twice this year.

Yes, yes, I know. We're confined to mediocrity for decades.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

In all seriousness I hope Melbourne get him, deserves a chance to play regular AFL footy

 

[BornPort]

Funny how the basement dweller nearly beat you twice this year.

Yes, yes, I know. We're confined to mediocrity for decades.

I guess that's worth bragging about??

 

[I Dont Care]

Funny how the basement dweller nearly beat you twice this year.

Yes, yes, I know. We're confined to mediocrity for decades.

Nearly is as close as never

 

[PatientMental]

GWS beat the runner up and almost beat the premiers. See where I'm going with this?

 

[Forzaport]

From what I've been told Port delisted him in good faith so he was able to become a DFA which was a class move by them allowing him to pick his club.

Don't know anything outside of what's been written in those articles about clearances and good kick.

Any real standout qualities to him?

Wouldn't surprise me if we did that - there really aren't any hard feelings with Newton and he would have struggled to break into our AFL side in 2015.

His real standout qualities are his clearance work and his kicking (sorry the article was accurate there). Pace is a little concern but that didn't stop Mitchell becoming a gun.

Newton spent the better part of 3 seasons recovering from ankle injuries, this year was clearly his best to date. He's primed for a productive 2015 and there's certainly a way to go before he hits his ceiling. He works hard and could still be anything.

 

[Dez!]

Wouldn't surprise me if we did that - there really aren't any hard feelings with Newton and he would have struggled to break into our AFL side in 2015.

His real standout qualities are his clearance work and his kicking (sorry the article was accurate there). Pace is a little concern but that didn't stop Mitchell becoming a gun.

Newton spent the better part of 3 seasons recovering from ankle injuries, this year was clearly his best to date. He's primed for a productive 2015 and there's certainly a way to go before he hits his ceiling. He works hard and could still be anything.

Don't apologise for that, that makes him Jesus to us.



Everything sounds perfect, what's his endurance like? Hopefully he does in fact choose us, nothing better for than kids with talent a chip on their shoulder.

 

[raman]

In all seriousness I hope Melbourne get him, deserves a chance to play regular AFL footy

I'm not sure that Melbourne actually play AFL footy, to be honest...

 

[Forzaport]

Don't apologise for that, that makes him Jesus to us.



Everything sounds perfect, what's his endurance like? Hopefully he does in fact choose us, nothing better for than kids with talent a chip on their shoulder.

Don't know about his endurance, he hasn't really been tested all that much at AFL level and certainly not for an AFL season. He was still building his fitness base having missed a few pre-seasons early in his career. From memory, it took him a fair while to get going once he'd recovered from his ankle injuries.

 

[Portress Hill]

I've converted to the 'be pissed off at Newton club' . Was always thinking he needed to go elsewhere for opportunities, but as a previous poster said. We stuck by this guy while his body was failing him. We paid him to get through all that. Had we delisted him last year, he'd likely be on the scrap heap now. So what's the thank you.... It's a big fat middle finger. Poor form by Newton. Poor.

 

[Schulzenfest]

I've converted to the 'be pissed off at Newton club' . Was always thinking he needed to go elsewhere for opportunities, but as a previous poster said. We stuck by this guy while his body was failing him. We paid him to get through all that. Had we delisted him last year, he'd likely be on the scrap heap now. So what's the thank you.... It's a big fat middle finger. Poor form by Newton. Poor.

Nah. He rewarded us with a year and a half of excellent SANFL form, and we 'rewarded' him for that with one full game of AFL football in that time (and even that was as an emergency). He has every right not to accept another contract.

 

[mic59]

Nah. He rewarded us with a year and a half of excellent SANFL form, and we 'rewarded' him for that with one full game of AFL football in that time (and even that was as an emergency). He has every right not to accept another contract.

Did pretty well in the short times he was on the field. 12 possies against St Kilda in 24% game time was especially good. But was really only used as a stop-gap when Andrew Moore and Angus Monfries was injured so could see little at this club, especially with our good injury run over the last two years.

 

[Macca19]

He'll play weekly for the dees. Nice pickup for them. Very similar to Michie last year

 

[Nemisis]

Good to hear in the tiser that Newton will find a new home. His manager made the point that Port had been 'fantastic' about it.
Long may you run - Newts

 

[Tulip]

Let's be honest Newts was probably a goner from our list at about the time this happened:

Cringe, cringe, cringe, cringe, cringe, cringe

 

[RandB]

Port supporters don't really dislike Melbourne per se, it's more the fault of Garry Lyon who questioned our relevance during our darkest period with his infamous 'What parent would want their kids to go there?' comment. Your team just cops some of his reflected glory.

If you guys wish to question the relevance of Gary Lyon you have my blessing.

Also, as said by Dez! it is a class move by PA to delist Newton giving him that leeway. (better be Melbourne!). When your club starts getting the smaller things right like this it is one of many signs of a confident club that is going places.

 

[The Smaller Warrior]

Ouch. He turns!

Not at all.

Still think he will be a very good player, just won't ever be quick.

 

[Marmozet]

I'm just sad that Newton never kicked a goal for us so we could have seen all his teammates get around him after it, just like Tom Jonas's first goal against the Bulldogs. Would have been such an amazing moment

 

[Andre]

A lot of short memories on this board. The response to getting out of woods, after having the boots stuck into us for five long years as the laughing stock of the competition, has in some cases to do the exact the same thing to teams now in the same position.

So Melbourne had an owner, like we had the SNAFL, stabbing us in the back? No.
Melbourne has a stadium deal that is worst in the AFL? No.
Melbourne plays at a stadium that is heavily branded to their fiercest competitor and told to pretend it's their home? No.
Port had priority picks and were still s**t? No.
Melbourne had the bulk of the Victorian media deliberately spreading falsehoods and sticking the boot in at every chance? No.
Melboune had a fractured supporter base like Port (Power vs. Magpies) inflicted on them that had fans at war? No.

Now if Melbourne improve all well and good, but I hate this bullshit generalisation that's now occurring that 'Port improved we can' myth that's occurred since mid-way last year. Our situation was unique. Not only have Melbourne never had to fight with hands tied behind the back as we had with the SNAFL, Footy Park and the SA media, they've been thrown priority pick after priority pick as well. We were NOTHING like them except we had a period down the bottom of the ladder.

 

[Nemisis]

I'm just sad that Newton never kicked a goal for us so we could have seen all his teammates get around him after it, just like Tom Jonas's first goal against the Bulldogs. Would have been such an amazing moment

He had a few chances but blew it. Looked nervous as hell near the goals

 

[Marmozet]

He had a few chances but blew it. Looked nervous as hell near the goals

Yeah I think I recall him running into an open goal against the Saints but didn't take his time to run all the way and he had a shot from a bit of a tight angle instead, and there was a set shot against GWS he missed.

 

[Portmanteau]

So Melbourne had an owner, like we had the SNAFL, stabbing us in the back? No.
Melbourne has a stadium deal that is worst in the AFL? No.
Melbourne plays at a stadium that is heavily branded to their fiercest competitor and told to pretend it's their home? No.
Port had priority picks and were still s**t? No.
Melbourne had the bulk of the Victorian media deliberately spreading falsehoods and sticking the boot in at every chance? No.
Melboune had a fractured supporter base like Port (Power vs. Magpies) inflicted on them that had fans at war?

A lot of these things were in place while we were successful in the early 2000s, 2007 and 2013. While they were certainly part of the problem, they were not solely the reason that we were s**t. We were poorly coached, trained and administered during 2008-12, there is no denying that, mostly by our own (un)doing. We were able to do these things well at other times with the same restrictions. No external party forced us to re-sign Choco in 2009, or Primus over Scott.

Nonetheless, some good counter arguments presented by yourself, Tribey and Janus, I still don't see the need to boorishly stick the boots into fans of a poorly performing club (which is quite separate from doing the same to the club itself). I know, let's hold hands, sing kumbaya and all that... but we've been there before.