Taking The High Road: Its a NEWMAN!!

 Taking The High Road

ITS A NEWMAN!!

By Chris Beal

Its signing deadline day in the NIHL Structure, and that means players making last minute departures and arrivals. As coaches look to strengthen ahead of the run in to the play offs. 

And Streatham have made quite the deadline day signing. In Josh Ealey Newman

For Streatham having just released George Norcliffe, battling a virus outbreak in the camp and no doubt with others on the roster carrying war wounds, some new depth for the roster would likely have been in the mind of coach Paynter. Being able to run 3 or 4 lines offensively gives a coach much better flexibility when it comes to resting players and rotating based on performance. 

Mel O'Brien

But at this late stage in the season, the pickings in the free agent market can be slim. And so finding that game changing star player isn't easy. Often it's a smattering of 2 way players, bottom 6 players and guys jumping up from NIHL 2 we see move around on deadline day.

So imagine everyones shock when coach Paynter pulled off another rabbit from the hat signing. Having landed Brett Shepherd to cover the loss of Danny Milton early in the season. Who's return now leaves the club with 2 starter calibre net-minders. Then signing Damon Porter, to add more scoring potential and depth. Ben has now pulled off another master stroke signing landing Josh Ealey Newman as a late season addition. 

Mel O'Brien

I'd anticipated that if the club was going to make any deadline move, to add to the roster. It was going to be bringing in an overseas Brit returning to the UK, or convincing players to move up for the run in from NIHL 2, eg Paul Petts or Scott Bailey from Guildford. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Josh Ealey Newman would be the signing we announced.  

Signings don't just apparate from thin air of course, a lot of hard work and time will have gone into this signing. Making sure it's announced when Josh felt he was ready to return. No doubt Josh had several suitors checking in on him. So full credit to coach Paynter and the club for the work that will have gone in on this one.

On paper, this is a signing based on past numbers and potential. Josh's past numbers speak for themselves. But he's on the road back from a lengthy injury recovery, and so there is an element of potential here as well. He's a player that adds a whole new element to the teams scoring ability. Josh is a natural goal scorer, and throughout his Streatham career we saw just that, But his time away from the game does mean this expectation should be tempered a bit. 

Dave Trevallion - Icy Photography

Very much the prototypical Streatham player. In his past stints with the club he was part of the backbone of 3 league title winning seasons. Putting up goals along the way putting up 58 in league and play off games alone. One of those goals being the moment where he came up clutch to score high against Sonny Phillips to put Streatham on course for its first ever play off title in 2022. He's a clutch big game player. 

Dave Trevallion - Icy Photography

But besides being the clutch goal scorer, that you can rely on in those big game scenarios. Josh fits that monicker of prototypical Streatham player by being a physical presence. Unafraid to mix it up, get in an opponents face, throw in the body, take the hit for the play, and when needed more than willing to drop the gloves. He plays with emotion and drive, with unyielding desire to win at all costs. Exactly the kind of player coaches look for on championship winning teams.

Mel O'Brien

Josh will need some time to shake off the rink rust. Unlike Porter, he's played under and with Ben before. He knows the systems, the style and what Ben expects of a player on this team. So it shouldn't take him too long to get settled, in that regard. Josh hasn't played for nearly over a year now, the result of an injury sustained in the infamous Invicta brawl last January. So to expect him to go out and post big game winning goals from night 1, could be a bit much to expect. Ideally Josh gets his feet under him in time for the play offs where he can make an impact. 

Either way, scoring ability, skill,  and physicallity and more depth added to the roster. As an old add in the past used to say. Carlsberg don't do deadline day signing, but we did, they'd probably be the best signings in the world. 

Welcome back Josh, now to re-train the phones auto correct to filling in your name on game nights.