Sam Newman ‘shattered’ by wife’s shock death

Tributes flow for Amanda Brown, the wife of Sam Newman, after she died suddenly at their Melbourne home on Saturday.

Sam Newman and his wife, Amanda Brown.

AFL heavyweights have paid tribute to Amanda Brown, the wife of footy great and media personality Sam Newman, who died suddenly at their Melbourne home on Saturday.

Ms Brown, 50, was found dead at their Docklands apartment at about 8pm, leaving the former Geelong player devastated after the shock death of his partner of 20 years.

Veteran sports journalist Mike Sheahan, who used to co-host the You Cannot Be Serious podcast with Mr Newman, remembered Ms Brown as a warm and confident woman and the love of Mr Newman’s life, with the couple officially tying the knot in November.

Sam Newman and wife Amanda Brown on their wedding day.

“She had a bubbly personality. She had plenty to say, she was not a shrinking violet by any means and when she had something to say, she said it,” he said.

“I feel terribly sorry for (Sam). It was just before his 75th birthday that he got married, and he was very happy with that, and very content in his private life.

“They had a really good relationship and he was the happiest I had seen him.

“Especially given the time that they were together, 20 years, he said to me he was devastated. It’s just so traumatic, it’s going to throw his life into confusion.”

Mr Sheahan said Ms Brown had been both a loving wife and girlfriend and also a business partner who took on an active role in his media projects.

“It was a very functional relationship and he was happy,” he said.

“I can’t say he has always been happy in his life, but with Amanda he was happy.

“She was his right hand man. She looked after him in a business sense, and she was secretary in a lot of ways, and helped him out on his boat.

“She handled his Twitter, Facebook and all that. She was a master of social media.”

Eddie McGuire, who worked alongside Newman on The Footy Show, described it as a heartbreaking day for the Geelong Football Club after the death of Ms Brown and also of long-serving president Frank Costa on Sunday.

“First of all, our great friend and colleague Sam Newman, a 300-game superstar of the Geelong Football Club, came home from going out with a couple of friends yesterday and found his wonderful wife Amanda dead,” Mr McGuire said on Fox Footy.

“Sam, you know that we are thinking of you, buddy. I spoke to him last night and he is clearly devastated by the whole situation. Our thoughts with all the Newman and the Brown family as well.”

The couple were married in a private ceremony attended by Mr Newman’s three sons and best man Kevin King at their luxury high-rise apartment to celebrate Ms Brown’s 50th birthday. The ceremony was officiated by former Perfect Match host Greg Evans.

They were first pictured out together at Crown Casino celebrating New Year’s Eve in 2002.

Ms Brown has kept a low public profile compared to her husband’s long and at times controversial media career.

Victoria Police said Ms Brown’s death was not being treated as suspicious.

“Police will prepare a report for the Coroner following the death of a 50-year-old woman in Docklands on Saturday May 1,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman confirmed its crews had attended the Docklands address responding to reports of a medical episode.