Brad Sewell will pull on a familiar jumper with a familiar number on Saturday afternoon.
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The long-time dream of many Newlyn supporters will become a reality this weekend when the 34-year-old steps out in Cats colours for the Central Highlands Football League senior clash against Waubra.
Sewell will line-up alongside brothers Adam and Myles for the first time in a competitive football match.
And it has been confirmed the dual Hawthorn premiership player will wear the number 12 he sported for the majority of his 200-game AFL career.
Sewell, who trained with Newlyn last week, said he was excited to be back playing for his old club.
“I’m looking forward to it. Obviously I’ll be playing with my two brothers – it will be the first time the three of us will all play together – and I’ll be playing back at home where I played all my junior football,” Sewell said.
Sewell said he was unsure how many games he would be able to play during the course of the year due to his work commitments in the AFL media, but hoped it was enough to qualify for finals.
“It’s still very much in the air, but we will just have to wait and see how things play out,” he said.
Sewell had a few seasons of junior football with Newlyn before being picked-up by the North Ballarat Rebels. He was drafted to Hawthorn from the Rebels in 2003 and went on to play 11 seasons with the club.
During that time, the onballer played in premierships in 2008 and 2013 and won the club’s best and fairest award – the Peter Crimmins Medal – in 2007.
Sewell announced his retirement from the AFL at the end of the 2014 season.
His return to Newlyn comes after the club was able to lure back his brothers for the 2018 campaign. Adam and Myles played in the CHFL’s opening round clash with reigning premiers Hepburn on Saturday, which the side lost by just eight points.
Waubra will head into the clash at Newlyn on the back of a nine-point triumph over Learmonth.
Sewell and St Kilda great Danny Frawley will speak at a function in the Newlyn clubrooms after Saturday’s match.
- tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au