Nic Newman was disappointed to leave the Swans, but is happy and settled at Carlton

No one can mention his name without a ‘Hello Newman’ reference, but for Nic Newman it was his goodbye from Sydney that burned. Sam Edmund looks at the defender’s move to Carlton and if he can fill the void left by Sam Docherty.

Nic Newman is enjoying life at Carlton. Picture: Ian Currie

No one can mention his name without a “Hello Newman” reference, but for Nic Newman it was a goodbye that burned.

The 25-year-old was last October traded by Sydney to Carlton in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the final minutes of the exchange period.

Newman shone off halfback in the Blues’ JLT win over Essendon on Thursday night, but admitted it had not been easy settling at Ikon Park after four years at Sydney.

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“It was disappointing to leave the Swans. I loved my time up there and had a lot of good mates,” Newman told the Herald Sun.

“There was a number of things (behind the move). It ended up being a little bit mutual and I was going to get more opportunity down here.

“It was just the way it worked out. I was open to it and so were they and Carlton came along and we just thought, ‘Let’s go for it’.”

Nic Newman has made a strong start to his time at Carlton. Picture: Michael Klein

Newman played 31 games for the Swans after the former Frankston Dolphin was taken in the 2015 rookie draft, but only 11 of those games came last year.

If Thursday night is any indication, he’ll play a lot more than that for a Blues outfit who lost defensive general Sam Docherty for a second time with a serious knee injury.

“It was a shocking time. I was loving training alongside him and he was a bit of a mentor for me, actually, in trying to learn a new game plan,” Newman said.

“All the outside noise was that I was going to fill the void, but I never thought that I wasn’t good enough to be in the team with him. I was looking forward to playing alongside him.

“I’d seen a pretty good mate in Alex Johnson go through a bit of stuff up in Sydney so I had a bit of deja vu given he is also such a good club person and so respected.”

Newman had 20 possessions — an equal game-high 17 kicks — and eight marks against the Dons, catching the eye with his grit at the coalface and his clean distribution.

“You train all summer and you think you’re doing a lot right, but ultimately you don’t know how it’s going to go until you play real opposition. It’s always nice to win, that’s the main thing,” he said.

Asked about the impact No. 1 draft pick Sam Walsh has made, Newman said: “I’m as blown away as anyone. I’m a bit of a fan as well.

“He came in and just impressed. He doesn’t have the slightest bit of arrogance … he asks questions, wants to learn and works his arse off.”