Dave Newman snr coached Tongala to its first Goulburn Valley League flag in 1949.
The Newman dynasty in the Goulburn Valley League has lasted over 80 years.
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In a recent story I wrote, I mentioned Tongala players who had either played VFL/AFL before or after their time at Tongala.
Club stalwart Peter Dawson, son of legendary Tongala player Bob Dawson who played four games with St Kilda and won the Morrison Medal playing for Tongala in 1950, was quick to point out that Dave Newman Sr had missed my list.
Newman played 49 games with Collingwood and four games with Melbourne between 1943-48.
He kicked 32 goals for Collingwood, playing mainly off a wing and forward.
Dave joined Tongala in 1948 as its coach straight from the VFL and was in charge when the Blues beat Kyabram 10.17 to 6.13 in the 1949 GVL premiership showdown, Tongala’s first flag in the GVL.
He coached Tongala until the end of 1956 when he switched to Kyabram as coach for the 1957 season in the lead-up to Tony Bull’s five-year reign as playing coach of the Bombers from 1958 to 1962.
He retired after his stint with Kyabram.
In his days at Tongala he won four best-and-fairest club awards.
A classy player and kick, many believe he introduced the play-on style of football at Tongala and how football is generally played today.
His legacy in the GVL has been carried on by his son Dave Jr and grandsons David and Paul.
Newman played 49 games for Collingwood between 1944 and 1947.
Dave Jr played over 100 games with the Blues and a handful of games with Kyabram and won a best-and-fairest award with the Blues.
David coached Tongala between 2013-15 and was joined by his brother Paul for the 2015 Murray League season.
Both David and Paul played their junior football and a lot of their senior football with Kyabram and Paul, a GVL legend, kicked over 100 goals in his one season at Tongala in 2015 before moving back to Kyabram where he coached the Bombers to three premierships and a runners-up finish.
In the process he set a new Victorian record, 62 consecutive wins at senior level for the Bombers from 2016 to 2019.
David also played at Lancaster before his moves to Kyabram and Tongala.
As a family, the Newman influence has been part of the GVL scene over a period of 80 years.
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