Anyone who has had a good look at Becky's Richmond pages knows that I have a lot of time for Chris Newman.

I liken him to the multiple Premiership player of the 70's Merv Keane. Merv lined up on the back line or half back line for more than 200 games and 3 flags. Very few people, opponents, media, umpires ever noticed Merv, but he always did his job, made life hard for the opposition and would have been amongst the first picked.

Newmo is quicker than Merv and whilst he spends most of his time in the back half he can move into the middle of the ground and hurt the opposition. He's notched up over 80 games and is rarely noticed and consequently underrated, but he does a job and does it well. Ask James Hird who was blanketed by the dependable Newman earlier this year.

Chris' solid play was rewarded with a 2 year contract extension earlier this year and he paid the club back by just keeping on doing as he always had done.

Against the Pies Newman was given the important job of minding the dangerous small forward Alan Didak. Didak was rated amongst the games best goal sneaks and would need close attention if the Tigers were to pull off an against the odds win. Didak was kept quiet, despite kicking Collingwood's solitary goal by the 2nd quarter. Newman went for a ball and so did Leon Davis of the Woods. Their legs clashed and you could see Newmo's leg bend in a way that legs were not meant to bend. It was eerily similar to what happened to Nathan Brown in 2005 and had the same result.

The Tigers will miss Newman and it was a tragic moment in what was a great win for Richmond, but as Nathan Brown has shown players can recover from this type of injury and come back. Good luck Chris and a quick recovery.

Chris