Joey Newman is a new face at the Boambee Bombers this season.
Arriving in Coffs Harbour last year to continue his medical degree at the UNSW Rural Clinical School, Joey signed up to play for Boambee’s 3rd Division side but didn’t play a single competitive match before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a move back home to Forster.
Returning to the Bombers this year after a season back at his original club, the Tuncurry-Forster Tigers in the FMNC Southern League, Joey said he was more than keen for a step up in competition.
“Last season was a bit of a strange one,” Joey said.
“I really enjoyed getting to play for my original club with some of my old team mates again, and it inspired me to try to play as high a level as I could this year.”
Initially hoping to secure a reserve grade spot for the Bombers in the Coastal Premier League, Joey was given an opportunity to impress in the first round of this year’s FFA Cup against Sawtell.
A solid performance in that match saw him named in the top team for the first round of the CPL, and since then he has cemented his place in the midfield.
“It’s been great playing with such a solid bunch of players, and the standard of the league has been just what I’d hoped for,” Joey said.
“There’s no really easy games, each week is a test. I’ve enjoyed the challenge and the club has been very welcoming.”
The budding doctor has even managed to get himself on the scoresheet a few times, which he reckons is something of a surprise.
“Normally I do a lot of tackling and running box to box, but with the players we have up front there’s been some good opportunities to get beyond them, and fortunately I’ve managed to bag a couple,” he said.
“I’m really hopeful we can get the season finished – we’re close to making the finals and I just really want to help us get there.”
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