When the former Melbourne Demon won the Did Simpson Medal with eight goals in the 2017 grand final win over Albury, he was 100kgs. He will be 94 in the round one clash clash against Wodonga Raiders on Good Friday.

"I haven't gone on a diet, I just changed a few things with my eating habits," he revealed.

"I have noticed the difference, just moving around a lot better and the extra couple of kilos you're not carrying when you're running."

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It's now been a decade since Newton left the AFL system after seven seasons and 28 games.

He's spent much of his time with Norwood in the SANFL and in the O and M since, hovering between 97 and 100 kilograms.

Newton, known at the Magpies as 'Juice', has had a well-documented battle with injury in recent years, particularly 2019 where he played only 11 games due to pectoral, lower back and hamstring complaints.

He turns 34 next month, but says dropping the weight wasn't a deliberate ploy to limit those injuries.

"During COVID I stopped drinking as much beer and because we were locked down on the farm (in Whorouly) I was working and once I noticed I'd lost a couple of kilos, when I was running it felt a lot better, so I've continued to see if I can get a couple more down without getting too light," he offered.

"I guess it's something you've got to do (at my age) and I'm not lifting the heavy weights in my gym program, I'm doing more body weights, it's more high reps than heavy lifting."

After Brendan Fevola's four-year stint at Yarrawonga ended in 2015, Newton took his title as the gun forward, winning a Doug Strang Medal and booting 74 and 81 in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Newton is now in his fifth season with the Pies.

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