Carlton AFL backman Nic Newman is set to take on the defensive duties in the Blues' AFLW coaching structure in 2022.
After sharing his time last year in recovering from a knee injury and working with some of the Blues' reserves to aid their development, the club has looked to the 28-year-old as a formidable asset in bolstering their coaching ranks for the future.
The 2022 AFLW season, which begins early next month, is shaping as a critical campaign for the Blues, who failed to make the top-six this year.
Carlton have seen a number of shifts take place under senior coach Daniel Harford, with Steve Salopek taking on a midfield coaching role while Shaun Hampson is set to lead the Blues' ruck stocks.
Kade Simpson will continue to manage the Blues' forwards, with Wayne Schultz holding his post as a development coach.
Having set his sights on bettering his coaching knowledge, Newman has gained unparalleled experience under the guidance of the Blues' coaching cohort.
โIโve loved my experience coaching so far, speaking with Kade Simpson, I know this is a great group and program to be part of, so Iโm really grateful for the opportunity to work with these group of players and I canโt wait to get to work,โ Newman said on the announcement.
"Iโve thoroughly enjoyed my coaching experience last season with the reserve side and look forward to take that to the next level alongside Harf and the other coaches here.
โTo be able to come in and work with such a great group is exciting, I already see around the Club that their work ethic is second to none.โ
The Blues will host St Kilda at Ikon Park on Saturday as part of their pre-season preparations before placing their attention toward their Round 1 clash against Collingwood on January 9.
