MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 23: Damien Hardwick the coach of the Tigers speaks to the media where he announced his retirement during a Richmond Tigers AFL press conference at Punt Road Oval on May 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images via AFL Photos)
With the recent managerial change, Richmond has announced the return of a former captain.
The Tigers have acquired a highly regarded Hawks assistant and a familiar face.
Richmond has confirmed the return of former club captain Chris Newman as the new assistant coach at Punt Road.
After eight years at Hawthorn, where he served a variety of positions under Alastair Clarkson and current senior coach Sam Mitchell, the Tigers’ Hall of Fame member returns to the yellow and black.
Newman would first serve as the Hawks’ development coach before taking over as coach of the club’s VFL side Box Hill, which would win the championship under Newman in 2018 after a solid season for the Hawks’ reserves.
Under Clarkson, the 41-year-old quickly returned to the AFL ranks as a strategy coach before moving on to head the club’s backline and, finally, forwards in recent years.
The 268-game ex-Tiger will now continue his coaching career at Richmond, where he was recently involved in the club’s quest to replace the departed Damien Hardwick.
Despite losing the job to Melbourne assistant Adem Yze, Newman has accepted an assistant position to work under the Tigers’ new coach.
“I can’t wait to get back to work with the players and football staff at Richmond,” Newman said in a club statement.
“It will be nice to be back in familiar colours and working with Adem and the coaches to help the team return to finals action.”
Newman originally joined the Tigers in 2000, when he was selected 55th overall in the National Draft. He would spend 14 seasons with the club, four as captain, before handing over the reins to triple-premiership skipper Trent Cotchin.
Hawthorn football manager Rob McCartney stated that Newman will be sadly missed at Waverley due to his enormous impact on the team.
“There’s no doubting the positive impact Chris has made here at Hawthorn,” he said.
“From the start of his coaching career, Chris demonstrated an exceptional ability to establish strong connections and relationships with his players and staff.”
“After being interviewed for the Senior Coach position at Richmond, Chris felt that gaining more experience in another coaching environment would help his development and advance his senior coaching aspirations.” Chris was open and honest with the club about his desire to return to his former team.
“We’d like to acknowledge Chris’ service at the Hawks and wish him, his wife Lauren, and their children Indiana, Macie, Alba and Rylee all the best in the future.”
Following Hardwick’s decision to quit before joining the Gold Coast Suns, Newman and Yze will lead the Tigers into a new era.
