The Story No One Has Heard About Hawthorns Captain

Every AFL journey is unique, but few are as relentless as this one. From mid-season draft gamble to the heart and soul and captain of the Hawthorn Football Club. He burst onto the scene with record-breaking tackle count and hasn't stopped hunting the footy since. I'd be remiss if we sit here now and say they probably got it wrong. This is the journey, the grit and the growth of Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe. Jai Newcombe is unfiltered. Yeah, people keep asking me if I'm, you know, have you reflected? And like, I'm kind of I'm only 5 years into my career, really. I'm trying not to. I'm still trying to get still trying to get better and get more out of myself, let alone reflecting on what I've already done. So, yeah, there's there's lot of people in my in my family that are very proud of the position I'm in. and obviously I'm I'm proud of myself as well. One of the main things that say, like when we go to clinic or, you know, someone asks me for advice or kid that's under the age of 12, I'm like, for you right now, enjoyment is everything. As professional athletes, still still love what we do. Like, you have to find joy in the game in different in different ways. It gets hard at times, obviously. You're challenged in different ways, but mean, the overarching theme for us all being here was the joy and love for the game when we first started. What do you think the chances of being Peter Crimmins medalist and captain of the Hawthorn Football Club would have been in March 2021? yeah, pretty low. don't don't know what kind of number would be putting on it. think I've surprised I'm not only surprised myself, but I've surprised lot of people along the way, and yeah, very fortunate to to be at this great club in the position am at the moment. So, you say you've surprised yourself. That was one of the interesting parts for me. Were you the one that believed in you all the way thinking you would get to where got or is your rise even surprised you? No, I've I've definitely surprised myself. you know, if we we're going to rehash some of the journey throughout throughout this, but yeah, there was there was times where this even being on being on FL list was pretty well pretty well squashed and way too far away to be sitting here in this position. You know, I've been heavy on you know, have the confidence within within myself and think you have to have that without it towing the line of of arrogance, but yeah, it's definitely it was definitely more unlikely than likely for long time. So, you go through the system there, but you keep getting overlooked by Gippsland Power. Were they wrong and you're unlucky? What was it that you were getting told that you were lacking? Yeah, mean it's little bit of both. think think we sit here now and say that they probably got it wrong, but mean at the time was was relatively small until was sort of 16 years of age. was not yeah, not part of your your pathways and anything like that until pretty much my bottom age year and yeah, it was it was cut it was cut before Christmas trying out for Gippsland Power and and told to you know, go back and try and play some senior footy and get better at playing in in another position and went and did that and was probably where guess the you know, the realization of you know, even if you work so hard and do as you're told, you're not going to be guaranteed anything and then wasn't invited back to train as as top ager. So, no doubt lot of the drive think comes from sort of that 18-month period. There's so many sliding doors in life. How lucky were you that Box Hill were looking for some players to play scratch match? Yeah, very. that's sort of kind of sums up lot of think my my journey and opportunities and you know, sort of grabbing them with both hands and yeah, was mean was surprised myself that was even going to play in the game, arrived knowing knowing no one apart from one or two sort of power teammates that were there on the day as well and going from being Hawks fan as kid to playing practice match for Box Hill, that was that was cool cool start and and I'm something I'll never forget and then you know, obviously from there we get phone call at the other end of the year asking to come back and actually give it proper crack and it's like you know, pretty pretty gobsmacked with you know, how things sort of transition. How quickly did you know after being at Box Hill that you would survive at that level and there was maybe glimmer of hope with mid-season pick up. Pretty much up until Christmas at Box Hill was training for spot, so you know, nothing nothing was guaranteed and still doing everything in my power to be there for as long as possible. Were people making the right noises? Were they giving that wouldn't say they were giving too much away to be honest. remember remember the phone call got from Dan Napoli who was the list manager at the time and was was sitting in the front of work ute having my smoke-o and just almost didn't know what to say at on on the other end of the phone call. was yeah. Couldn't have been happier that was getting the chance to to hang around and keep going back and you know, that was probably when the real realization of you know, we're actually chasing this dream probably fully kicked in the gear. When did you know you were going to the Hawks in mid-season draft? so was yeah, sort of sitting there on the on the lounge room lounge room couch at home with just the immediate family, obviously COVID still then, so immediate family around and was pretty much hanging out till think it was like pick 15 or 16 and just sort of buying my time till then. Unbeknownst to me in way was more popular than than thought was and yeah. Luckily, Hawthorn weren't willing to risk trying to let me slide all that way, so yeah, it was pretty surprised when went at two, to be honest. And so, who are you with at the time? You got mum and dad sitting there hoping. Yeah. Then just life changes. Yeah. Yeah, mum mum and dad, sister, partner Georgia. and then pa, mum's mum's dad was there as well, and yeah, bless him, he's half deaf and didn't really know what was going on when it all sort of happened, which which was quite funny, but yeah, the mean, the support from them from from the very get-go has been amazing. get get nice debrief text message from from the game from pa every week, and Is he accurate? Somewhat, yeah. his his views are his views are interesting at times, but the impact that he's had on you know, my life, and especially the like, the easy-going, should be right kind of attitude with it all, and the amount of joy that he's brought to to my family and and family friends that know without really even needing to, has been has been awesome. he's lived on the Gold Coast for 30 years, holidayed there for almost every year of my of my childhood to go and see him, and the effort he makes to come and see us too by by driving down, and you know, taking the time out of his life to you know, make put smile on our faces. he's one of the people that yeah, celebrate regularly. Yeah, I'm very very fortunate with the family support that do have. You get drafted, hugs, and then it's like, right, I've got to resign from my apprenticeship, I've got to move, and I'm playing this weekend. Yeah. It was quick It was quick turnaround. It's unbelievable, really. Yeah. think it was nine nine days, so Wednesday Wednesday to the following Friday was draft to draft to debut. Yeah, was mean was pretty emotional draft night. Like remember calls from obviously calls from Sam who'd been my coach at Box Hill, call from call from Clarko. messages obviously going going crazy as they do. Yeah, cried when when it came out and like the first the first 5 minutes of it all was was pretty emotional and coming to terms with what actually has just happened. And then yeah, nearly missed like was unaware that was part of the squad for that week. was was living with Jagger at the time and still trying to like figure out all the the club's communication platforms and things like that and I'd missed the squad announcement and almost didn't think had to be in at training on the Thursday morning or whatever it was. And then yeah, was was off to Sydney to go play Friday night at the SCG for my first game. Just break the record for the most tackles in debut. Yeah, get lot of feedback on that actually. From guys especially about being second to the footy, but it's quite funny. Is that is that how Jack looks at it? Yeah, Jack Jack lay the tackle if you've got the ball. Yeah, exactly. So it's he's like, "Yeah, great record, but you should be there first." So thanks, Jack. So over the 9 days of drafted apprentice play, it must have been one of the more surreal sort of copper rides of all time. You are watching your heroes play and then suddenly getting handballs from mean, it happened pretty quick, to be honest. Like At least you knew all your teammates' names. That did help. Obviously being around Box Hill, having having relationship with handful made it little bit easier. and even running out playing in Sydney and having Buddy playing for the opposition. remember running into him at one point and just being like blown away with the actual size of the guy. Yeah, almost. Joy's sensational debut. 14 tackles as well. You must love the hard stuff. Yeah, it's obviously really good to get on the inside and work with couple of balls in our midfield as well, so all about the pressure tonight. We We had broad out when we knew we'd come away with good result, so pretty happy. actually like don't remember the game that well, to be honest. could feel like the first sort of 2 weeks all blew by that fast where like my recollection of what actually did in the game and how was feeling doesn't sort of come back to me that well, to be honest. Yeah, he's been massive role in like shaping my outlook on both both football but but life as well. Right now for me is trying to get into that top handful. Is there any chance you get sucked into the Hollywood Walk celebrations? mean, feel like I'm getting sucked closer and closer to being part of one eventually. believe in both from from the creators themselves first, so can Who do you learn from around the place? Clark goes your first senior coach, Sam Mitchell is your first. You have Box Hill coach. Then you got sort of these old wise heads. What do you learn from them all? Yeah, mean, I've been I've been pretty fortunate with guess senior senior players that have been here for guidance when first arrived, so Ben McEvoy, obviously my first captain when when walked through the door. Luke Breust and what he was willing to offer to others, kind of like what Jack's doing now and you know, sort of does it in the background without any notice and provided so much knowledge and clarity. Liam Shiels was big one, too, at the start when first got here. you know, just willing to to help out and offer offer help. Yeah, Sam Sam and Col especially from being at Box Hill and and transitioning through. Yeah, as as kid being Hawks fan and watching him play to then have, you know, story that is so similar for for that period of time is being being something that's pretty awesome to relate to and yeah, think is reason why we're you know, able to get on so well and understand things the way we do. appreciate certain things in in the game and the reason why we're here bit different to others and yeah, he's been massive role in, you know, shaping my outlook on both both football but but life as well outside of it. At the start you were trying to become weekly. And then you sort of became arguably top handful. So, you tried to stay there. Then you're worried that the decline was coming. That means it must be quite an anxious career. Yeah, 100%. mean, it's yeah, it rings rings very true. mean, right right now for me is trying to get into that top handful and and staying there. Definitely for the first 2 years it's right, what do need to do to stay Yep. stay in get in and stay in. prove yourself. mean, confidence in your own game is think what helps has helped me. but I've been able to be consistent say for the last 45-ish of those of those games and yeah, have confidence within my own game that it's you know, holds me in good stead and can perform. wouldn't say mean, as country kid, you know, we're relatively relaxed more often than not not too tightly wound. So, guess the expectation and the pressures of everything else that's going on outside of the actual game is pretty irrelevant to me, to be honest. Are you good at avoiding all of that? Yeah, would would say that's probably one of my think one of my best strengths in terms of being player and avoiding I've been I've been very lucky that there's not hell of lot of scrutiny going around, to be honest, around me as person or player. but yeah, blocking out anything that's whether it's club related, form related you know, going back to what need to do to play well. it's it's helped you know, helped me for sure. The number three, 44 to start and then think after 29 games they give you one of the highest honors of the club. What did Leigh Matthews say to you when he gave you the jumper? Yeah, so Leigh's words were never never get satisfied. Yeah. and that's mean it's sort of hit hit home. think it's sort of similar to Dad's constructive criticism and there's always something else to chase and the moment you're satisfied with where you're at, you're falling behind someone else who's trying to get the most out of themselves. So yeah, that that message hit home from from the moment got it. yeah, very very honored to to have had Leigh actually come into the building and present me with that jumper. People talk about him and there's nothing but good words about him as player and the fierce competitiveness that he went about things and yeah, don't think I'll ever replicate one of his best days in having something like with 41 and 11 goals or something. so mean it goes to show how impressive he was and how yeah, lucky I've been to have to have met him and and be able to spend sort of good good hour hour and half, you know, conversing through through photos and and media things like that, but I'm just getting to know him little bit. The Hawks sort of came from nowhere and excited everyone. The Hollywood Hawks Hawk ball thing. What is Hawk ball? It's good ask. Also good question. mean don't think myself have fully have my head wrapped around what fans call Hawk ball. think it's brings smile to to our fans faces and whatever it may be. Bit of excitement, bit of bit of flair. something that's fun and enjoyable to to watch and keeps mean it's made us very very relevant in multiple ways. which is which is good thing. The Hollywood Hawks look at the celebrations and the fun of it all. When was growing up in the '80s the Hawks early '90s there's no celebrations. It was just but it's just such nice way to play football. And looks like everyone's having fun. Yeah. mean that's sort of what we guess pride ourselves on in ways. Yeah, we we all work really hard to to be out there on the weekend so you have to find joy in things that things that we value. so then when you when you see that you have to you have to celebrate that and and reward that in way so you that you keep seeing it and it becomes repeated behavior. And we've been very good at celebrating things that things that we value and things that we like to see on the back of the right. You know, the right reasons, the right hard work. the right the right plays, things like that. being predictable reliable teammate and yeah, celebrating what we value as club. And the boy from Geelong is preliminary final bound. Is there any chance you get sucked into the Hollywood Hawks celebrations. You very Lee Matthews number three, I'll leave it to those guys. You know what? Yeah, I've mean, feel like I'm getting sucked closer and closer to being part of one eventually. And what what's going through your mind as the potential silly? no, got no idea in terms of what it could be. need inspo from from the creators themselves first, reckon. So, who's head Hollywood Hawk? Like who who'd be captain? Well, they went through patch where they reckon they were stealing each other's silly, so they keep it to themselves bit more now, think. rift within the Hollywood Hawks celebration gets Possibly. depends what's relevant in the world, think. Like, obviously, Wez is taking some of his from NBA players. know Crocs ties back to where he actually grew up and where his family's from, so there's actually some meaningful meaning behind some of them. They're not all just for show, but it's certainly mean, puts smile on my face watching them do it. think the 2024 census said 643 people in Purong. takes takes you five-point turn to get out, but you find way out eventually. Rumor has it the the Guinness at the Purong pub is not too bad, so Rumor has it. Yeah. think the 2024 census said 643 people in Purong. I'm from town of 248 or something. There's something great about being small local community. Yeah, definitely. mean, you know, you're all sort of binded binded together and you know, you almost know everyone and you want everyone to to succeed and and have joy in things and you know, that was the best part about, guess, community sport as kid. think went, you know, you play basketball over over the summer and you go on go and play tournaments and you're playing with the same seven or eight seven or eight kids that I've, you know, played with them for six years. and you know, you just you're just connected in so many different ways and yeah, everyone everyone wants joy and happiness in May lot of it is through sport as well, especially especially in Poowong through footy club, basketball, all those all those sorts of things. but yeah, it's about seeing other people succeed is big is big for everyone in community, think. Why doesn't Poowong have mean, these are questions that yeah, really want to know. Why is there no fence around the Poowong ground? Sort of quite awesome. Yeah. Is there reason why? I'm not I'm not aware of reason why. it's mean, out of all the out of all the games that I've ever played there and watched as junior, reckon I've only ever seen someone reach the gravel track once or twice. Like, it's and it's not it's not that far from boundary to gutter, but But what happens on the gravel track? There's no greyhounds or harness or No, just parking. Pull up, watch the game. Get up. Yeah. And on finals you're allowed to park on the gravel track? Yeah, feel like have have memory from yeah, being kid Poowong hosting final of yeah, park park down the front and reverse up into the bank and takes you five point turn to get out, but you find way out eventually. And your old man has kept that ground or he's had huge part of keeping that ground in unbelievable condition for decades. Yeah, he's been doing it for long time. Poowong was known for being mud pit for quite while though. There's been sort of few few reno's along the way to get it in the condition that it's in now and it's yeah, holds its form much better year round than than what it used to, but If was at Poowong tomorrow night, what would have to do? What you have to do is an unbelievable Parmi at the pub or they are known actually the so the pub has an Irish owner and rumor has it the the Guinness at the pub on pub is not too bad so rumor has it. Yeah, send you there send you there for Guinness and game of pool. There's number three jumper hanging in there somewhere as well so you can have look at that as well. It's been an unbelievable journey. know there's lots and lots of chapters to be written but enjoyed watching you play. Congratulations on making all the doubters look ridiculous. Awesome. Thank you very much.