But for the AFL fans wondering how Newman will treat the experienced broadcaster when she joins him on Thursday night as the first woman host in the program's history, he offered a taste of things to come on Triple M's morning show Roo and Ditts for Breakfast.

Newman revealed he did not know that Maddern was the No.1 ticket holder at Geelong, the team he appeared for as a player.

He also wondered out loud how he should address his new colleague.

"I'm not sure if she's Mrs Maddern, I'm not sure what to call her," he said.

"She's been married a couple of times someone said, I might discuss how she found matrimonial life, because I can speak voluminously about that."

One of the hosts asked whether with a "girl" joining the panel, the producers had asked Newman to "look after her".

"My word they have, I've had more instructions than you'd get at the United Nations if you were trying to make a nuclear pact with Iran, it's extraordinary," Newman said.

He joked that the selection process had been difficult, because they needed to find someone who was not particularly good-looking and who had a low IQ so she would fit in with the dynamic of the show.

"So they'll be surprised when they see her, she's coming on, she's a glamour, no she's pretty ordinary really," he said.

Newman agreed with the hosts that Maddern was on a "hiding to nothing".

"It wouldn't matter what she did, she's [going to] get criticised and so will we for being patronising or too tough on, or her having too much to say or not enough," he said.

"Mate, we love it, the critics will round us up like we have for 22 years and we'll take no notice of it, we'll push on."

Newman confirmed Channel Nine had asked former host Eddie McGuire to take the place of Garry Lyon, who is on indefinite leave while he seeks treatment for depression. But McGuire's new employer Fox Sports had not allowed him to appear on the rival network.

Newman said McGuire had been keen to return to The Footy Show.