Supercoach 2015 – Ben Newton
New State, New Club, New Town…
The kid from WA who was drafted to Port Adelaide and now will play for Melbourne has traversed the county chasing his AFL dream. In him getting to Melbourne I must praise first and foremost the conduct of the Port Adelaide Football Club who, after Sir Isaac, refused a contract offer opting to go into the draft instead, decided to delist him to enable him greater freedom of movement. Astonishingly good behaviour from a club that clearly valued the young man and had nursed him back from injury more than once.
Sir Isaac was selected by Port as a second round pick #35 overall in 2010 as a medium midfielder likened to Luke Hodge as a tough ball getter with good disposal. He has been injured alot since arriving at Alberton. In 2011 he played SANFL Reserves with West Adelaide managing only 5 games, missing the first 4 with an ankle and the rest of the season from Round 11 with a Groin/Hip. During his 5 games he managed an average of 17 disposals @ 75.6% DE, 2 inside 50’s, almost 2 rebound 50’s and 3.4 marks per match.
Come 2012 again injury struck in round 13 missing 1 game with a hip then from round 19 for the season with a knee strain. Playing 13 games in the SANFL reserves he averaged 16.6 disposals, 1 goal and 3.15 marks per game. In his only SANFL appearance he had 12 touches.
In 2013 Sir Isaac was transferred to the Port Adelaide SANFL Magpies to provide him with greater development by playing more SANFL football than SANFL reserves. It worked playing 16 games and appearing in the best players on 13 occasions averaging almost 23 touches a game.
Finally breaking into the AFL side in Round 7 against GWS, Sir Isaac scored 57 SC points from his full game of 15 touches, 3 tackles, 4 marks. His scoring was subdued with 11 disposals by hand. He wore the “Riddler Suit” in his next and only three more AFL games coming on either at ¾ time or during the 3rd quarter in all of them. His stats were an average of 10 disposals @ 70% DE, 3.2 contested, 2.2 tackles and 40 supercoach points from 37% TOG.
| 2015 Price: | $215,000 |
| 2015 Position: | MID |
| Games last season: | 4 |
| Average last season: | 40 |
| 100+ games last season: | 0 |
| Sub 80 games last season: | 4 (3 vest affected) |
| Price range last season: | $123K – $155K |
| Missed games last season: | 1 game SANFL concussion |
| Significant history: | Pick 2 Number 35 2010 National Draft Part of the AIS Academy |
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It appears that his injuries that plagued him early are behind him, missing few games in the previous 2 years. Turning 23 this year could prove a steal, 40 supercoach points from 37% game time extrapolated out to a full game of say 85% TOG puts him at a 91.8 supercoach point average. Whilst that is unlikely I could still see him going at 70+ and possibly 80+ given the opportunity. I expect that he may just fill the role at Melbourne of a bigger stronger body that will hold up longer allowing them to rotate rookies in and out of the side as they develop meaning more TOG for Sir Isaac. He will be on my ever increasing preseason watchlist, I suggest that you pop him on yours.
RISK FACTOR
Sir Isaac will be coming into his fifth year in the AFL system at a rookie price but with a few preseasons under his belt. There remain the usual risks that they don’t get game time or a vest affected and whilst this is possible for Sir Isaac I expect that he will get more time than most of the other younger rookies. A ball winner who uses the footy well is just what Melbourne needs and whilst they have a few there they are all very young and can use the chop out from a stronger more mature player.
SELECTION PURPOSE
Rookie price player entering his fifth year having only played four games. Cash cow if he gets consistent game time from round 1. Otherwise potential downgrade target.
THE GOOD
- Good disposal efficiency 70% in first four AFL games is very good
- Can find the footy
- Likely to get game time at Melbourne
THE DOWNSIDE
- Potential for him to be vested
- Mid only status
- Priced awkwardly
THE VERDICT
Likely to be priced awkwardly amongst top 10 draftees in 2014 draft making him hard to pick at the price for a Mid only option as there is likely to be others that will provide good Cash Cow returns at a better price. It will really come down to his preseason form and how he is being used at Melbourne. If he is going at 80+ and his job prospects appear sound then he will become a yes. At 70+ there will be better cheaper options. Currently he has a foot in the door, 20/80.
20/80
What’s your call on Ben Newton in 2015?
General Soreness
Twitter: @GenSorenessSC
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Is he next years' Dom Tyson or Viv Michie? We'll have to work that one out in the pre-season. As terrible as my beloved Dees have been over the past decade, he's got some competition in the midfield with:
Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson, Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Christian Salem, Jimmy Toumpas, Dean Kent, Viv Michie, Aidan Riley, Matt Jones and Angus Brayshaw.
I'm excited by Ben Newton, but then again I was excited by Jordan Gysberts, Cale Morton, Lucas Cook and dozens of other young men that are now playing suburban footy. Let's hope he hits the ground running.
Spot on Davey, plenty of Competition for spots can only be good for the club, however they were quick to move on him when available indicating that they may see a role for a guy with a bigger body and a few years in the system.
One to keep an eye on in the preseason. I think there will be better & cheaper options in the mids. Your right about the awkward price. That’s a top 3 pick price & very hard to part with on a risk burger. Quality as always general & great research!
Love, love, love these type of reviews. Guy who fell off my radar, now being recycled and worthy of consideration. Agree with Pieman at that price you want a Dom Tyson-like talent (ie. he's a talent yet was on the wrong squad). Too risky at this point. See what happens when all the rookie chips fall. Cracker of a review as always, General.
Agree Throttle. I reckon at that price though I'll be looking at Petracca who'll probably go to St Kilda and you'd reckon will be guaranteed more game time than Newton at Melbourne. One to watch though.
Wonder how much Petracca will be? Boyd was $217K as a #1, which was so not worth the coin. Be interesting how they'll jigger with the prices this season. Hope they bring down rook prices a touch.
The gods are rarely kind to us Throttle. Boyd at 217k was an absolute no. But Petrecca might be worth a look. If he could average 80 it's worth considering. They would want to get him on the park.
Agree INP. I'll be looking closely at all of St Kilda's draft picks this year as I did last year. Shame Acres injured his ankle, he was looking like a good cash cow before that.
Agree on both fronts. Hope the kid sparkles in pre-season. Be interested if Dunstan is worth another go…but probably too much. Could be this year's Ollie Wines?
Perhaps someone should review him *nudge nudge*
I hope they bring the prices down too. But you'd almost pay $217k for a mid rather than a key position player. Tyson was about the same price last year and turned out well. I'm not saying Petracca will be as good as Tyson was, but he's worth more consideration at that price than any rookie key position player.
Excellent point, Sarah. A non-starting KPF was an easy no last season. A starting mid who shows he can go ton and get 80 without killing himself will be worth a go.
Whoever the Saints grab with the 2 picks in the early 20's will be very intersting. Dunstan was great & Acres will be good, shame about his injuries. So we need 24/7 preseason surveillance on those 2 boys the Saints pick. Community shift work.
Spot on, Pie this is where my eyes are as well. Highly likely that Reece McKenzie will be one of them. Accordingly to those that know better than I ever will, likely to be pick 22. As a tall KPF unlikely to see him bothering the supercoach masses this year. Leaving pick 21 as very interesting.
Excellent research General!
Those Midfield rookie spots will be heavily contested, and I feel, they can make or break your aim for the 50k.
definitely a witch-list candidate, but we all must tread carefully on who we pick.
Quality as always!
Cheers Dex, midfield spots will be heavily contested again, which should again make for some interesting structures.
Yet more high quality from you General! When I read you were doing Newton I thought it might be Bert or Pattie Newton, that’s how much Ben Newton was off my radar. Great stats in there but as per our great community and INP, Throtts and Sarah have pointed out – reckon there will be better value choices on mids for scoring potential. Well done my bomber brother.
Cheers Chicko, I was hoping to review Lauren Newton personally but she wasn't up for it and her Olympic sized husband might have become annoyed. Sir Isaac didnt appear on my radar until Melbourne jumped on him like a fat kid on cake.
The General delivers yet again. This general doesn't need any warship off the coast of Brisvegas to prove the robustness of his constitutions.
Reckon I'm thinking along the lines of a lot of others above with Sir Isaac – the biggest hope here is the glimmer he showed in a stronger Port outfit and the thought that he's assured more gametime at Melbourne. I'm not too sure as it isnt often as cut and dry as this in terms of the more game time factor at a weaker club. Even if he was solid best 22-4 I'd be hesitant at this price
Cheers Jock, I reckon Vladimir is just positioning his ships right before Tony says "E8"…….."MISS"!
Agree that moving from a stronger to weaker club does not necessarily mean more game time. Just ask Jackson Paine and Shane Savage.
Great work GS, love the SANFL analysis.
Will be interesting to see where he sits in the midfield pecking order as a mature body.
Plenty of competition there as Davey points out, plus throw Bail, McKenzie and the Fresh Prince in there too.
Reckon there will be tastier, cheaper mid cows wandering the fields, so a No from me.
Regardless, I genuinely hope that Sir Issac can universally gravitate towards a regular midfield gig.
100% there with you losty, I too hope Sir Isaac can realise his potential.
Well Done once again to The General,
Excellent piece mate and nice to see young man on the page but I with most people on this one .
Newtons 1st Law of Motion : I." Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it." The external force in this case is Melbourne and the breaks will be applied unless we are lucky and some other expensive stalwart goes down.
Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson, Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Christian Salem?, Jimmy Toumpas?, are all in front of him I think but SANFL players are well grounded to the expectations of the AFL system
I will watch but I don't think so 10/90 at this stage.
Great work mate keep the good oil comin'..
Thanks Dools, love the reference to the first law. Notably his third law says that for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. There are women I have met that defy this law, however for supercoach sakes lets hope that the action was his time at Port and the equal and opposite means huge things to come at the Dees.
This will be his fifth year on an AFL list coming up, coming to a team that isn’t strong, but even so Melbourne have a very large group of midfielders ahead of him in my opinion. If he was around 150k he may be one to watch and possibly have a bench position in my team, but with a price tag around 215k, it will be a definite no from me. However great work on your behalf General.
Cheers BS, he is priced very awkwardly, will be even more awkward if he pumps out 80's pre season. I expect that there will remain better options elsewhere but add him to the ever growing list nonetheless.
Thanks for the kind words and it appears we are all in the same boat on this one. Hopefully he plays well enough pre season to warrant some selection headaches come round 1 supercoach.
I think this guy is the Viv Michie of 2015, hasn't done enough for me to warrant the wookie price tag. Like someone on here pointed out, you wouldn't pick him ahead of Petracca is similarly priced……
The all premium midfield lives on, at least till St.Kilda read out picks 21 & 22. Top review.
Thanks Phil, picks 21 and 22 will be interesting, those in the know suggest 22 is Reece McKenzie and developing KPP therefore SC irrelevant, pick 21 will be interesting and appears anyones guess at this stage.
Thanks General that's an amazingly deep review and very insightful. I actually thought that he'd performed better than the stats decree and was penciling him into f8 in the belief that Melbourne had recruited him for some muscle on the forward line loose ball.
Maybe it was Paul Stewart I was thinking of?
Great review General, but to echo everyone’s comments NO. Heeney, Brayshaw,La Verde, Weller and of course Petracca all worth a look around the same price.