CARLTON defender Nic Newman will hold a role on the Blues’ interchange bench this year as he recovers from his knee injury.
Newman is holding out hope to return to playing later in the year after being initially ruled out for the season after needing surgery on a ruptured patella in January.
It is the same position as Blues veteran Sam Docherty took on last season following his knee reconstruction in Opening Round before his finals return.
In other moves, Carlton coach Michael Voss is likely to return to the coaches’ box to steer his team this year.
Voss has been coaching the Blues often from boundary-side in his first three seasons with his headset connection to assistants in the box. But this year he is expected to be based in the coaches’ box as Carlton’s focus sits firmly on a return to the finals as a premiership aspirant.
Melbourne’s Simon Goodwin, who has been a prominent coach in guiding his team from the interchange bench, is also expected to divide his time more between the coaches’ box and interchange this year.
