Plucked from Box Hill with pick 2 of the 2021 mid-season draft, Newcombe rose from Poowong in Gippsland to the Hawthorn captaincy, taking over in 2026. He won the 2024 Peter Crimmins Medal, was the club's best finals player in 2024 and 2025, and has topped its Brownlow vote count 4 seasons running. He has played 126 AFL games and kicked 51 goals.