Sport & Life with Sam Kekovich and Leon Wiegard: Recent Episodes
Sam Kekovich & Leon Wiegard
Sport & Life (S & L) is hosted by likeable Australia sporting larrikin Sam Kekovich and two time Olympian and sports broadcaster Leon Wiegard.
S & L features a special guest from sport each week (or politics, show business etc who has an interest in Sport)
Its non- stop chat-cast with the emphasis on the lighter side of sport (which means it’s very funny) and guests who have a background as a star athlete, administrator or simply a love of sport.
We chat with on of leagues biggest characters Steve "Blocker' Roach who played 186 games for Balmain and represented NSW on 17 occasions. We chat with Blocker about his career on and off the pitch and find out the origins of his famous knickname.
We chat with entrepreneur and award winning chef Shane Delia. Shane gives us insights into the restaurant industry across Australia and the motivation behind is recent creation, the "$15 Bowls of Goodness."
We chat with former player and administrator Greg Miller. Greg played 52 games for South Melbourne from 1972-76 and then going on to be their recruiting officer in 1980. Greg was also the CEO for North Melbourne from 1985 to 1989 then 1995 to 2001. We chat with Greg about his illustrious career, including the time he teamed up with Sam at the Hammerheads.
We chat with former Adelaide Oval manager Les Burdett. Les is regarded as the most iconic creator of wickets in the history of cricket. We chat with Les about his career and some famous cricketers who have graced his wickets.
We chat with Olympic pole volt gold medalist Steve Hooker. We chat with Steve about the unique sport and how he changed from a junior track career to pole vaulting. Steve talks about his journey to the summit winning gold in Beijing and the tough challenges he's faced throughout his career.
We chat with New Zealand superstar jockey Brent Thompson in light of his return to track work at the ripe old age of 66. We chat with Brent about his amazing career, some of his biggest rides and his journey post retiring the saddle.
We chat with former goal kicking champion Peter McKenna. Peter played 180 games for Collingwood and kicked 838 goals for the Magpies. We chat with Peter about his career both on and off the footy field, including the time he decided to release an album, hence the tag of being the 'original rockstar.'
As a tribute to our great mate Andrew Plympton, we decided to look back at his interview on the show from 2020. We chat with Andrew about his great sport passions in Sailing and the St.Kilda football club.
We chat with Sydney 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist Mark Turnbull. Mark won Gold in the Sailing 470 class with Tom King. We chat with Mark about his sailing career and his relationship with Andrew Plympton in the wake of his sad passing.
We chat with 2 x Premiership player and current AFL Media analyst David King. Kingy opens up about his time at the Kangaroos, his media career and the current state of football. We also chat about the newly announced Tasmania Devils and the issues around their proposed stadium build.
Alfie Langer is a household name in Australian Sport and regarded as one of the best NRL players of all time. We chat with Alfie about his playing career, which included four premierships with the Broncos, and the time he famously came back in 2001 for game three of State of Origin.
We go behind the scenes of one of the biggest football stories from the 1980s which was the recollection of the South Melbourne Swans to Sydney. John Keogh was the man leading the 'Keep South at South' movement. We chat with John about that pivotal time in history for the VFL.
We chat with Gillon McLachlan who was the CEO of the AFL from 2014 to 2023. We chat with Gill about his time in charge, and some of the tougher moments including navigating the league through COVID.
We chat with 1985 Brownlow Medalist Brad Hardie. Brad was a versatile and attacking player, completing 290 career games with four different clubs. We chat with Brad about his playing career including his big move from Footscray to Brisbane in the mid 80s.
We chat with the GM of Football at Melbourne Storm Frank Ponissi. Frank has been at the helm of the club since 2007 and has overseen over a decade of success at the club. We chat with Frank about his journey and try to unravel the keys to the Storms sustained success.
We chat with former VFL player and current St.Kilda coach Ross Lyon. We chat with Ross about his playing career which spanned 129 games (127 Fitzroy) and 2 games with Brisbane. Sam grills Ross on his coaching career, in particular his exit and then return again to St.Kilda.
We chat with horse trainer David Eustace who collectively with his colleague Ciaron Maher have prepared over 1600 winners. We chat with David about his career and his pending move to the mecca of racing, Hong Kong.
We chat with legendary lawyer Bernie Balmer who has reperesented many 'colourful' characters throughout his career, including the infamous Mark 'Chopper' Read. We chat with Bernie about his journey, his clients and his immense passion for the Sorrento Football Club.
We chat with the iconic voiceover man Craig Willis who's career has spanned over 45 years in the media / broadcast industry. Most people would know Craig for his voiceover work on the AFL, Tennis and Olympics. We chat with Craig about his career and some of his greatest sporting memories.
He chat with Herald Sun and 3aw sports journalist Jon Anderson. We chat with 'Ando' about some of his biggest sports stories across his career and his raise to popularity, including the time he addressed the Press Club in Canberra.
We chat with one of footballs greatest ever players John Nicholls, who played 328 games for the Navy Blues winning premierships in 1968, 1970 and 1972. We chat with Nicholls about his career, the Carlton Football club and his views on the current state of the game.
We chat with former kiwi jockey Gary Willetts who rode 490 winners throughout his career including 16 Group 1's. We chat with Gary about some of his famous rides including his journey aboard Mankato.
We chat with John Rothfield better known as 'Dr.Turf' who has been a prominent racing identity for over 35 years. We chat with Dr.Turf about the early days of the SP bookies and his thoughts on the current state of racing in Australia.
We chat with David Healy who was a longtime friend of American golfer Doug Sanders, who famously finished runner up in 5 major tournaments. We chat with David about Dougs legacy and some of the more interesting stories such as the 3 foot missed putt to win the 1970 Open tournament.
We catch up with one of Australia's most popular long distance runners Steve Moneghetti. We chat with Steve about his running career which included gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and his passions outside the sport.
We chat with one of Australia's greatest golfers Craig Parry. Since turning professional in 1985, Craig has had 23 career victories including two on the PGA tour. We chat with Craig about his fantastic career, and some of his near misses including the Masters at Augusta.
We chat with former professional wicket keeper and cricket coach Darren Berry. Darren played 153 first class matches and was considered unlucky not to have represented Australia given his high regard as a master gloveman. We chat with Darren about his career both as a wicket keeper and coach abroad in the IPL.
Sam and Leon give an unfiltered recap of the 2023 AFL season and give our prediction for the finals series.
We chat with one of Australia's greatest ever tennis players Neale Fraser. Neale chats about his amazing tennis career which included two US Open singles titles in 1959 and 1960 along with the 1960 Wimbledon singles title. Neale talks about his early beginnings in the sport, why was the era so dominant for the Australians, and what he thinks of the modern day era of tennis.
We chat with rising star in the jockey world Carleen Hefel. Carleen has ridden over 200 winners throughout her career and is regarded as one of the premier jockeys in Australia. We chat with Carleen about how she got into racing and what it's. like being a female jockey in Australia.
We chat with prominent horse trainer Manny Gelagotis. Manny chats about his early days in Gippsland and playing professional soccer for the Morwell Falcons. We then gather insights into how he and his brother Peter got into horse racing and how tough is Australian thoroughbred industry.
We chat with North Melbourne legend Glenn Archer who played 311 games for the club winning two premierships in 1996 and 1999. Glenn chats about the early days at North Melbourne and the battles he had with his football confidence. He then relives some of his fondest memories about his premiership wins and the tough period when Wayne Carey left the club.
We chat with former Collingwood President and popular Australian media personality Eddie McGuire. Eddie opens up about his early days in sports journalism and how he ended up becoming the president of the Collingwood football club, along with the various challenges he faced. Eddie also talks about some of the tougher moments throughout his time in media and sport, and gives an update on how his son is going in the USA as a punter in college football.
We chat with broadcaster and former Australian rules player Brian Taylor about his career on and off the field. BT played 140 games of league football, 43 with Richmond and 97 with Collingwood. BT chats about the various characters he met in his playing days and how he dealt with not playing in a premiership side with either the Tigers or the Pies. We then move into his media career with some entertaining stories, including the recent Logie Awards.
We chat with former VFL hard man Ricky McLean who played 58 league games across two clubs Carlton (19) and Richmond (39) from 1966 to 1976. We chat with Ricky about his career and some of the more colourful memories, most of which involved Ricky 'settling the score.'
We chat with a very special guest Craig Challen who is a technical diver and cave explorer who played a pivotal role in the rescue of 12 Thai children and an adult in 2018. We chat with Craig about the world famous rescue in the Tham Luang cave and his journey into cave exploration.
We chat with Ian Tate who is regarded as one of the best engine builders in the history of Australian Motorsport. Ian was a key player in the late 60s and 70s across many Bathurst campaigns and opens up about his illustrious motorsport career.
We chat with Channel 7 sports broadcaster Hamish McLachlan who has been a regular on Australian television sets since 2008. Hamish opens up about his career, how he got his start and what it was like growing up in the McLachlan household.
We catch up with former Australian fast bowler Carl Rackemann to chat about his career where he played 12 test for Australia and 52 ODI's. Carl also recaps the dramatic opening Ashes test in England.
We chat with the CEO of the AFL Players Association Paul Marsh. We chat with Paul about his role within the AFLPA which he has had for over 8 years, and the regular challenges the organisation look to tackle. We also chat with Paul about his time as CEO of the Australian Cricketers Association.
We chat with former hard and pacy defender Mark Zanotti who played 157 games with three clubs, West Coast, Brisbane and Fitzroy. Mark chats about his early days in the West and what lead to his relocation to QLD. Mark also chats about his time in the UK and how he started his own football club.
We chat with former Australian rules footballer Garry Baker who played from 1972 to 1983 with Footscray, Melbourne and Sydney. Post his VFL days Garry settled into a successful life in Tasmania and gives insights into how the apple isle is feeling about the pending AFL side. We chat with Garry about his career and the current and future state of Tasmanian football.
We chat with former Australian test captain Ian Chappell, who is one of Sam's favourite sportsman as he always 'called it as he saw it.' We chat with Chappelli about his test career and how he stood up for the rights of his fellow players throughout the 70s.
We chat with Australian director and producer of film and television Simon Wincer. Simon has had an amazing film career and calls the likes of Steven Spielberg
and George Lucas personal friends. We chat with Simon about his career and how he ended up creating some iconic films including 'Phar Lap' and 'The Cup.'
We chat with former Collingwood and Fitzroy footballer Brian Beers. Brian opens up about what it was like to win the 1958 flag for Collingwood and the jubilation the club felt after the final siren sounded. Brian also chats about his post football sporting exploits, notably in Tennis and his involvement in administration with Tennis W.A.
We chat with Scottish sprint legend George McNeill who has claimed tow of the biggest professional foot races in the world. The 1970 New Year Sprint in Scotland and the 1981 Stawell Gift in Australia. George tells the story about his gift win in 1981 and the massive betting plunge which saw his support network collect $40,000 in winnings.
We chat with fast bowler and raconteur Rodney Hogg who takes us through his colourful cricketing career during the late 70s and early 1980s. Rodney shares with us some of his best yarns he has used at sportsman's nights over the decades.
We chat with Kangaroo legend Wayne Schimmelbusch who played 306 games for North Melbourne from 1973 to 1987. Schumma chats with us about his playing days and the influence of the great Ron Barassi. We also chat about his not so successful venture into coaching North Melbourne from 1990 to 1992.
We chat with Keith Stackpole who played 43 tests for Australia and went onto a successful sports media career throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Stacky opens up about his test playing days and what life was like travelling with the Australian cricket side in the 60s and 70s.
We chat with Grant Thomas who played 83 games in the VFL and more famously coached the St.Kilda football club from 2001-2006. Grant opens up about his playing days and coaching career, along with the role he played in signing some key figures at Moorabbin. We also chat about Grant's media career and the business success he has had since leaving the coaching ranks.
We chat with Jim Buckley who won three flags with Carlton in 1979, 1981 and 1982. Jim opens up about the double page Herald-Sun article over the weekend where he talks about being sober for the past two years and the effect that has had on his life and family. Jim also shares some colourful stories about his playing career as well as the time he famously organised the Fosters logo to be painted on the ground in London.
We chat with Australian wicket keeping legend Ian Healy who played 119 test matches for Australia, leading to 395 dismissals behind the stumps. We chat with Ian about his career both on and off the cricket pitch and his thoughts on the current Australian tour of India.
We chat with All Australian and duel Premiership player Corey McKernan live from Boston where he is gearing up for the Super Bowl. We chat with Corey about his time at the Kangaroos and what it was like playing under Denis Pegan. We also find out why Corey left the Kangaroos for Carlton at the top of his game and his passion for sport outside of Australian rules.
We kick off 2023 with our chat with 1970 Brownlow medalist and first class cricketer Peter Bedford. Peter talks about his duel sporting achievements on the football field with South Melbourne and Carlton along with his cricket career with Victoria during the 60s and 70s. We also talk about some of the great duel sports personalities who managed to excel on the football field and other codes.
Rod Johnson worked with the VRC for 48 years from 1946 to 1994 and in that time was the Chief Executive from 1986 to 1994. Rod chats with the guys about the changes to horse racing over that period and how he internationalised the Melbourne Cup by convincing Irish connections to bring out Vintage Crop to the Melbourne Cup in 1993.
We have a very entertaining chat with Ann Peacock who is the Crown general manager of community and charity. Ann talks about her journey and what life was like in a high profile family. Ann fires back at Sam and Leon along the way, after what could only be described as a train wreck of questioning by the guys.
We chat with former North Melbourne footballer and AFL games record holder Brent Harvey who played 432 games over his 21 year career. We chat with 'Boomer' about the secret to his longevity in the game and some of his stand out memories.
We pay tribute to Allen Aylett who was an Australian rules footballer and administrator and a pioneer in the AFL becoming the national game. Because of backroom politics Allen's contribution to the game, and where it is today, have gone widely under-recognised. We chat about the various achievements throughout Allen's career and the challenges he faced in trying to evolve Australian rules into a national competition.
It's our 100th show as Sam and Leon take the chance to interview each other about their journeys and recap some of the great interviews over the journey. A big thanks again to Gerry Ryan, Mitchelton Wines and the team at the Prince Hotel in St.Kilda for their support for the Sport and Life Podcast.
We chat with one of Australia's greatest ever shooters and six-time Olympian Russell Mark. His win at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics gave him the distinction of being the inaugural shotgun shooter of the sport to win all four of the world major individual titles: World Cup, World Cup Final, World Championship and Olympic Games. Russell opens up about how he got into the sport and shares an investing story about how he met the Sultan of Brunei. We also speak about the challenges of the sport and its battle for survival long-term, given the tight restrictions around gun ownership in Australia and other parts of the world.
We chat with South Australian football royalty Graham Cornes who played 317 games for Glenelg and was the Adelaide Crows inaugural coach in 1991. Graham opens up about his playing and coaching career, and life in the media afterwards.
Brett Lee was one of Australia's premiere fast bowlers throughout his career striking fear into batsman from 1999 to 2015. We chat with 'Binga' about his favourite cricketing memories and how he ended up with a number one single on the Indian music charts. We also chat about the legend that was Shane Warne, and the shock of his passing.
We chat with the former chairman of the VRC Amanda Elliot. Amanda was the first female chairman in the clubs 153 year history and opens up about her journey across business and racing. We also ask Amanda about the battles between NSW and Victorian racing and some of the hurdles she's come up against to protect the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne.
We chat with basketball legend Karin Maar-Fields-McRobert who was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame back in 2006. Karin played for the national team from 1975 to 1985 and shares stories about her career and the famous trip to China in the late 1970s.
We chat with former tennis star Neale Fraser who won Wimbledon back in 1960 and the US Open twice in 59' and 60.' Neil also won 11 double titles across all four majors. Neil chats about his long career and his passion for the Davis Cup. Also some battles with iconic names such as Rod Laver.
We chat with Greg Evans who is an Australian television and radio presenter who is most famous for his hosting role of the popular show 'Perfect Match' in the late 80s and 90s. Greg is also now a popular marriage celebrant with some hilarious insights of some characters he has met over his journey.
We chat with Western United chairman Jason Sourasis about the incredible underdog story of the year after they won the A League title against Melbourne City. Jason talks about the foundations of the club, and how in only three years of inception, they managed to topple the established Melbourne clubs to win the title.
We chat with former Australian cricket coach and player Darren 'boof' Lehmann about his career as both a player and as a cricket coach. Darren opens up about the difficult period around the 'sand paper gate' and the toll it took on the team and players.
We chat with Simon O'Donnell who joins a very select group of athletes to play AFL/VFL and cricket at the highest level. With chat with Simon about his journey to the top of both codes and then his evolution into horse racing. Yet to win a Melbourne Cup Sam brings up some scars from the 2008 race.
We chat with the MCC CEO Stuart Fox who gives us insights into what goes into running Australia's premier sporting ground the MCG along with its over 150,000 full members. Stuart has more than 20 years’ experience in sports administration, with 16 years spent at two of the most successful AFL clubs of the modern era – Hawthorn and Geelong Cats.
We finally unmask our co-host of the podcast Sam Kekovich. Leon ask's Sam about his early beginnings and how he ended up playing at North Melbourne and missing the famous 1975 Grand Final photo. Sam opens up about the highs and lows of his career both on and off the footy field and how he become part of the most successful advertising campaign, selling lamb.
We chat with one of Australia's most loved race callers Ric McIntosh on the eve of the Warrnambool carnival. We ask Ric about some of his classic one liners over the years including "back Weir, drink beer" and how he comes up with his technique. Sam also tries to get some much needed tips along the way.
We chat with former AFL and NFL player Ben Graham who played over 200 games for the Geelong Football Club from 1993 to 2004 and played in the NFL from 2005 to 2012. We chat with Ben about his AFL playing career and what it was like to transition to the USA to become of the the leagues best punters, playing in the 2008 Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals.
We chat with Melbourne's most popular Italian restauranteur Dominic Bonadio live from his establishment Il Duca in East Melbourne. Dominic chats about his 50+ years in the industry and some of the memorable guests and experiences along the way, including an encounter with Sir Paul McCartney.
We chat with former Olympic sprinter Raelene Boyle. Raelene won three silver medals at the Olympics and seven Commonwealth Games Gold Medals. We chat with Raelene about her stellar career and how she handled being beaten by the East Germans in a period when they openly used performance enhancing substances. We also chat with Raelene about the 1972 Munich Olympics and how the events of that year effected how we looked at terrorism in Australia.
We catch up with Collingwood legend Tony Shaw to chat about his career as a player and coach throughout his time at Collingwood. Tony opens up about the early years at the pies and how they united to win the flag in 1990, breaking a 32 year premiership drought. Tony recounts some fond memories of players and staff throughout that period, along with the euphoric scenes at Victoria Park after holding up the premiership cup.
We chat with 5 time Rugby League premiership winning captain Steve Edge who won flags for St.George in 77 and 79 then 81 to 83 with Parramatta. Steve is the only captain to win premierships with two clubs in league history. We chat with Steve about his journey and some of the highlights from a stellar career.
The guys chat with 201 game VFL umpire John Sutcliffe about his career and what it was like to umpire the drawn Grand Final back in 1977. We deep dive into the evolution of the umpiring fraternity and how much an umpire would earn back in the 60s and 70s. John reflects on who were the toughest players to umpire and gave the most lip on the footy field.
We chat with Guiness Book of World Records holder Archie Thompson who scored 13 goals in a World Cup match. Archie opens up about his career and how he ended up playing in Belgium. Sam presses Archie on his Melbourne Victory days on the back of chatting with Ernie Merrick last week, particularly around not being able to play defence. Archie hilariously opens up about his Subaru WRX days and his hotted up exhaust. A very funny interview.
We chat with Scottish - Australian football manager Ernie Merrick. Ernie first arrived in Australia in the mid 1970s and is most famous for his six year tenure at the Melbourne Victory taking them to multiple titles. He's one of the only coaches in the history of all sports to win coach of the year and sacked at the same time. Ernie also discusses his new role within the St.Kilda football club assisting coach Brett Ratten.
We chat with Brownlow medalist and premiership player Mark Ricciuto. Mark chats about his career at the crows and some of the coaches he had throughout his journey including premiership hero Malcom Blight. He also talks about the impact of Tony Modra on the club and how it was Blighty's biggest regret trading him to Fremantle. Sam also grills Mark about what happened on the famous camp back in 2017 and clears up a few mistruths about what was reported.
We chat very candidly with former St.Kilda president and investor Rod Butterss. Rod opens up about his time at St.Kilda and what broke down with former coaches in Malcom Blight and Grant Thomas. He also gives insight into the passion and pain behind the St.Kilda football club. Rod also chats about his battles with addiction and how to fight against such adversaries.
We chat with former Australian all rounder Shaun Graf about all things cricket from an Australian and Victorian perspective. Sam gets fired up as to why boards cannot seem to make a clear decision on the back of the Justin Langer saga. Shaun also shares insights into his first class career with some hilarious insights into some of the classic state and premier cricket matches from the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also chats about when Shane Warne first came to the St.Kilda cricket club as a 17 year old.
We chat with former Essendon premiership player and Fremantle coach Mark Harvey about his career and various health setbacks along the journey. Mark talks about the tough coaching period at Fremantle and the day he was told his services were no longer required. He also chats about his return to Essendon and how 2022 makes the clubs 150th anniversary.
We chat with Australian sports journalist and former rugby league coach Roy Masters about some of the fierce battles back in his coaching days in the 1980s. Roy chats about his work as a journalist covering 11 Olympics and some of the fun they had behind the scenes. Sam also gets Roy's take on the current state of affairs in Australia and where things are headed.
We chat with recently retired jockey Glen Boss who famously won three consecutive Melbourne Cups aboard Maybe Diva in 2003-05. Glen opens up about his career which included 90 Group 1 victories. We also chat with Glen about the darker moments and his battle with mental health. Glen chats about his future plans around horse welfare and assisting the next breed of champion athletes.
Laurent Rospars is widely regarded as one of the worlds premiere food and wine experts. We were lucky enough to catch him at the Prince in St.Kilda to pick his brain about food and wine with his 40 years of experience in the industry at the highest level. Laurent announces the best wine to purchase for Christmas and its surprisingly under $50.
David Boon is one of Australia's great cricket characters playing 107 tests and 181 ODI's. We chat with Boony about his cricket career and some of his greatest moments including the hat-trick ball catch off Shane Warne.
Michael Schiavello is an Australian sports commentator and journalist who has broadcast in over 27 countries across the world. He has recently completed a book titled “The Commentators: 100 Years of Sports Commentary” which has become a best seller on Amazon. We chat with Michael about his journey, find out what makes a good commentator and who are some of the greats over the past 100 years.
We chat two time premiership coach and winning trainer of the 2020 VRC Derby winner Denis Pagan. Denis talks about his football career as a player and coach, expanding on his key winning philosophies. We then ask about where his passion for horse racing was born and how much it meant to win the VRC Derby after only being in the training game for 6 months.
We chat with the hilarious straight shooting former Australian quick Jeff Thomson. Jeff played 51 tests for Australia and 50 ODI's and is regarded as the fastest bowler of all time. Jeff opens up with some funny stories about his days with the national side and what he thinks of the current day cricketers. Jeff shoots from the hip which is always fantastic entertainment for a podcast.
We chat with the impressive Australian Tim Franklin, as he sets out to embark on a Guinness World Record attempt being the fastest man to run around the world. Tim is set to start on the global journey in December 2022. We ask Tim about how he came up with the idea, how he chose the route and what are the expected challenges he will meet along the way. To get involved with Tim's journey visit www.timrunstheworld.com
It was the longest days of lockdown anywhere in the world with Melbourne enduring a long 262 days with restrictions. Sam and Leon discuss what the new found freedom feels like as well as talking about some of the more popular guests they have had on the show over the journey.
Mark Waugh is a legend of Australian cricket representing the national side from 1991 to 2002. Mark made 20 test centuries throughout his career and played alongside his twin brother Steven who went on to captain Australia. We ask Mark about the best bowlers he faced, playing with his brother Steve and what life is like now in the media with Fox Sports.
Stephen Kernahan is a legend of the Carlton Football playing 251 games for the blues kicking a record 738 goals at centre-half forward. Sticks won two flags for the blues in 1987 and 1995 and went onto become president of the club for six years stepping aside in 2014. We chat to Stephen about how he ended up at Carlton, his playing days and how much conversation he had with the flying doormat Bruce Doull.
Jason McCartney OAM is a former Australian rules footballer, 2002 Bali bombing survivor, former coach of the AIS/AFL Academy, and former list manager at the Western Bulldogs. McCartney is currently the list manager at the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
We chat with Jason about his football career with the Adelaide Crows and North Melbourne, the pain of not being a premiership player and the devistating experience of the Bali Bombings.
We chat with Australia's iconic racing personality Ken Callander. Ken Callander began his career in 1962 as a copy boy with Sydney's Daily Mirror. He has since been the editor of The Sportsman, a racing tipster for Channel 9 and had his own radio shows on 2UE, 2GB and 2KY. We ask Ken about his days with Kerry Packer, his best horse and jockey and why he left his role in the media.
We chat with formidable trainer Ben Hayes. Ben has been in the training partnership since 2016 and is based at Euroa. Ben lives on Lindsay Park, whilst also travelling to the Flemington stable to oversee that stable arm run by assistant trainer Dara O’Meachair. We chat with Ben about his racing family, get insights into how big their stable is and find out if he has any mail for the upcoming Spring Racing Carnival.
Everyone knows the story of Steven Bradbury, the man who won an unlikely gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics 1000m speed skating final when he was the last man standing. Most people do not realise the hours of commitment to training over his career and the near death experience Steven had to overcome just to make the 2002 campaign. Steven opens up about his career and the highs and lows behind what it takes to do a 'Bradbury.'
We chat with 'the Ox' David Schwartz who played 173 games for the Melbourne Football Club from 1991-2002. David opens up about his battles with gambling addiction and the long road to recovery but mentally and financially. David talks about how bad the problem was owing 4.5 million dollars and punting away all of the money he earns during his playing days. David is a passionate voice in regards to responsible gambling and tells a compelling and honest account of his journey.
Sean Mulqueen was part of the Australian Defence force from 2008 to 2014 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. He talks openly about the campaign an impact of current events with the Taliban’s control of the region. We chat with Sean about the effect of the current situation of all involved with the Afghanistan campaign.
He talks about the community group 42for42.org.au which offers support for those affected by the war in Afghanistan. We encourage all listeners to support the cause.
Arguably the greatest full forward of all time, we chat with Peter Hudson about his career and most memorable moments. We chat about how he took a helicopter to Waverly Park, who was his toughest opponents and that famous sign out the front of the church in Hawthorn.
We chat with an Australian television pioneer Gordon Bennett who was instrumental in bringing images to homes across the world during the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Gordon speaks about the evolution of television coverage for the games, from the introduction of colour, to the amazing telecast from Tokyo. We also chat with Gordon about the early days producing 'World of Sport' and what life was like behind the scenes with some of the biggest characters in football.
We chat with dual code Rugby international Wendell Sailor who was a larger than life character both on and off the field. Wendell opens up about his career and gives insights into the battles at times with mental health, drawing on lessons he learnt from the crossroad moments of his life. We also chat about the moment which stands out for him over his career, when he returned from a two year hiatus scoring a try for the Indigenous All Stars.
We chat with Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee David Hayes who is in Melbourne for a flying visit after relocating his talents to Hong Kong. We talk about David's career, what lead to move to Happy Valley and relive some of his greatest wins throughout his career.
We had a very entertaining chat with one of footballs great characters and 4 time premiership player Peter 'Percy' Jones. We ask Percy about the origins of his nickname, the day he fronted court over a noise complaint and the famous story about cheating a Carlton time trial by taking a tram.
Dr Jack Kennedy was made a Patron of the Collingwood Football Club for his outstanding service over 50 years. In the years since 1973 he had served as a Vice-President, a board member, a medical consultant and as a recruiting officer. We chat with Jack about his links to football and his amazing work as one of the premier Ear, Nose and Throat surgeons across the World.
Barry Round was the 1981 Brownlow medalist who played 135 games for Footscray and 193 games for South Melbourne/Sydney. Barry also played until he was 41 years of age finishing his career with 110 games for Williamstown in the VFA. A giant on and off the football field we chat with Barry about his early career and the transition across to the Sydney Swans with the challenges that presented. Barry also talks about his Brownlow win and why he continued to play into his early 40s.
We've been fortunate to have some of the biggest stars of sport and life on our show so we thought why not compile some of the best interviews from over 50 episodes. We showcase grabs from Doug Hawkins, Merv Hughes, Ray Warren, Wally Lewis, Billy Brownless, Doug Walters, Jimmy Cassidy and John Ribot. Enjoy as we stroll down memory lane for some great insights and plenty of laughs.
The guys catch up with Richmond goal kicking legend Matthew Richardson. Sam tries to wind Richo up about his inaccuracy in front of goal and is returned serve with an interesting stat. We also chat about his transition into the AFL media.
We chat with founder and owner of 'ICook Foods' Ian Cook to explain one of the biggest scandals of recent times. Ian's company was forced to close down back in Feb 2019 after they were linked to a Listeria case resulting in the death of an 86 year old woman. The case becomes intriguing when the central piece of evidence revolves around the discovery of a slug in their factory. Ian explains the story in detail and the ramifications could be immense once the matter is resolved in the courts.
We chat with Australian world champion woodchopper David Foster. David was the best in the world for a record 21 years in a row and has won over 1000 titles throughout his career. We chat with David about how he got into the sport and why he remained on top for so long. We also chat about Tasmania and the challenges he's had with his home state.
We chat with 211 game player for Hawthorn and 4 x Premiership coach in the VFL/AFL David Parkin. Parko chats about his playing days at Hawthorn and how he ended up at Glenferri Road. He also talks about the many challenges as coach throughout the journey, and the pain he felt dropping Troy Bond for the 1995 AFL Grand Final.
We chat with 277 game veteran for the Collingwood Football Club, the great Wayne Richardson. Richo opens up about his career and why he had to sit out the entire 1965 season prior to playing for the Magpies. Sam tries to work out why Collingwood could not win a grand final during his playing career and we find out what Richo got up to post his playing days.
We chat with Footscray great and Vice Captain of their 'Team of the Century' Doug Hawkins. We chat to Doug about how he ended up at the dogs and some of the highs and lows of his time at the Western Oval. Doug opens up about his transition into the media and why he left the Footy Show when it was on top of the ratings.
We chat with Adelaide Crows senior coach and former Sydney Footballer Matthew Nicks to find out the reasons for the Crows resurgence up the AFL ladder. Sam tries to dig into what happened at that famous pre-season Adelaide camp in 2018 and we talk about Matthews playing career with the Swans.
We chat with New Zealand and Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee Jim Cassidy, who is one of only three jockeys to win over 100 Group 1 races. 'Pumpa' gives us the story behind his nickname and some hilarious insights to some of his greatest victories including the 1983 Melbourne Cup victory aboard the horse 'Kiwi.'
Bob Ansett is a business entrepreneur and best-selling author who needs little introduction. The story of how he built Budget Rent a Car from scratch into a multi-million dollar international business – only to be overtaken by a financial crisis – has been well documented in his three best-selling books, Bob Ansett – An Autobiography, The Customer and The Meaning of Success.
We chat with Bob about his time at the helm of the North-Melbourne Football Club, how he started Budget, his role at protecting Noosa from high rise commercial take over and where he thinks Australia is at in comparison to the rest of the world.
Leigh Matthews was named the 'player of the century' and inducted as an inaugural official Legend of The Australian Football Hall of Fame, the highest individual honour that can be bestowed upon a football personality. Leigh had a stellar career as a player, winning 8 best and fairest awards at Hawthorn during an era when they won 4 premierships. He then went on to coach 4 premierships, one for Collingwood and 4 for Brisbane.
We chat with Leigh about his career, his nickname 'Lethal' and how he made the transition into coaching.
Ray 'Rabbits' Warren is the iconic voice of the NRL. He's been involved in commentary since 1967 as is revered in the industry as one of the best characters in the game of Rugby League. We chat with Ray about his career beginnings, why he left the police force and his fear of flying which left him out of the 1984 Olympic Games commentary team.
Barry Michael is a former IBF Super Featherweight Champion who's boxing career reached its peak when he fought Lester Ellis for the title back in 1985. We chat with Barry about his boxing career and life after sport. Barry is now a boxing commentator and at one point ran for a senate seat back in 2013 representing the Palmer United Party.
Wally Lewis is one of Rugby League's most well know players and personalities. Wally is regarded as one of Rugby Leagues greatest ever players. His career spanned over three decades from the 70s to the 90s playing in 31 State of Origin games, captaining Queensland in 30 of them. We chat with Wally about his career, his upbringing and some of his greatest matches. And it wouldn't be an interview with 'The King' without chatting about some of his greatest fights on the field.
Winner of seven grand slam doubles titles as well as a career best ranking of 25 in the world, John Fitzgerald is a household name in Australian tennis. Captain of The Australian Davis Cup Team for over 10 years, Fitzy knows the ins and outs of Australian tennis more than most. We ask him about his career and where are the current crop of players at, particularly with their 'off court' behaviour.
Ian Meckiff is a former Australian Test cricketer who played 18 tests for Australia and is famous for three things. Firstly being run out by Joe Solomon in the first tied test in history back in 1960. Second being called for throwing by umpire Col Egar in 1963 against South Africa which ended his career. And thirdly an inaugural member of the Vingt Cinq Club. We chat with the Count about his career and the early days of the Vingt Cinq.
John Eales AM is an Australian former Rugby Union player and the most successful captain in the history of Australian rugby. In 1999, he became one of the first players to win multiple Rugby World Cups. We chat with him about his career beginnings, his favourite grounds to play on and what are the keys to success not just in sport, but in life.
Billy Brownless played 198 games with the Geelong Football club throughout the 80s and 90s and has flourished in the media post his playing career. We chat with Billy about his time in Geelong, insights to Gary Ablett Snr and some of his classic sportsman night yarns.
A veteran of the sports journalist world, Ron Reed is a recently retired sports journalist and author with more than 50 years experience. Having covered most major sporting events in his time, Ron shares great experiences around international sport, Australians at the Olympics, the coming of age of women's sport and anecdotes from dealing with some big names in sport. He's recently released a book titled "War Games" where he talks about his father Private William Cecil Reed who was a prisoner of war in Nagasaki and survived that horrific event when tens of thousands of others did not.
Mark Allen is a former professional golfer turned radio broadcaster who has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout his career. He recently overcame stage 4 cancer when given only a 5% change of survival. Mark opens up about overcoming his cancer battle and urges everyone to get regular checkups with a GP. We also chat about Mark's professional golfing career which included playing the 1999 British Open and crossing paths with Tiger Woods, albeit at the urinal.
We chat with one of Australia's greatest cricket characters Merv Hughes. Merv represented Australia in 53 tests and took 213 wickets from 1985 to 1994. Merv opens up about the travelling Ashes sides from 1989 and 1993 and the day he took a hat-trick against the West Indies at the WACA. He also talks about the issue of sledging and his famous run in with Javed Miandad.
We chat with former Richmond player and coach Barry Richardson about his illustirous career both on and off the field. He opens up about his playing days at Richmond during the glory years and why he left the role as club President after one season in 1985. Barry has also been a physio to the stars and chats about some of the famous names in world sport he has treated, including Sam Kekovich.
We chat with Australian Football and Carlton Half of Fame inductee Geoff Southby who was one of the finest full backs in the history of the game. Geoff opens up about his career and the disappointment of missing two Grand Finals during Carltons dominant era of the 70s. Geoff also opens up about his various battles off the field as well as a classic story about the day Bruce Doull lost his headband.
We chat with the father of the Melbourne Storm John Ribot as he opens up about how a NRL side was formed in Melbourne. We chat about the tense times of the Super League and how for three months John had live in security. We also talk State of Origin and what builds a successful culture within all the organisations he has been a part of.
We chat with 1987 Norm Smith Medalist David Rhys-Jones about his career at South Melbourne / Sydney then heading across to the Blues. He settles the score on why he spent so much time at the tribunal and Sam shares some funny story about their days at the Hammerheads back in 2002.
We chat with another legend of AFL/VFL football Kevin Sheedy. He opens up about his playing and coaching career as well as his brief stint in the army. Sam and Kevin butt heads over the future of GWS and we get his insights about one of his most successful football concepts, the Anzac Day game between Collingwood and Essendon.
Robert Walls won three flags as a player and one as a coach. But the ride has had plenty of highs and lows along the way. We chat with Robert about his playing days and the fallout from Carlton which lead him to Fitzroy. We then chat about the transition into coaching and his sacking from Carlton in very tense circumstances. Robert then talks about the move to Brisbane and his final tenure at Richmond. Robert now resides on a small farm and helps out with local footy, which still remains a strong passion of his.
Geoff Henke is a former Australian ice hockey player and Australian Olympic Committee official. He was the chef de mission of the Australian Winter Olympic delegations from 1976 until 1994, and is credited with ending the neglect of winter sports in Australia. We chat with Geoff about his journey and a famous altercation with Speed Skater Colin Coates at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Doug Walters is one of Australia's best ever cricketers and characters. He played 74 tests for Australia and 28 ODI's. We chat with him about his career, meeting the Queen, being conscripted to the army and what he thinks of modern day cricket.
Gerry Ryan OAM is regarded as one of Australia's best businessman but also investors in racehorses and sporting clubs. Being an integral part of the Vingt Cinq club, we know Gerry well, so decided to pick his brains about his many investments and the keys to their success.
Terry Henderson has been the CEO of OTI Racing and Bloodstock since 1999 and has won almost every major cup in Australia. We chat with Terry about his career in the horse racing industry and how did he build his empire which currently stands at over 100 horses.
We chat with 5 time grand slam singles winner Frank Sedgman about his career on and off the tennis court. Frank won Wimbledon in 1952 and is the last male player to win all three disciplines (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) in the one tournament. Frank talks about who was his toughest opponents over the years and how hard the decision was to turn pro. We also open Frank up about what sort of money was on offer back then and who paid his bills. A fantastic insight to an amazing career.
We catch up with arguably Australia's greatest ever cricket captains Allan Border. He opens up about his life and cricket career which spanned over 15 years. We debunk the persona around his 'hard edge' and open up the other side to 'Captain Grumpy.' We also chat about the late Dean Jones and the effect of his passing on AB.
Enjoy the story of the great Herb Elliott. Herb won gold at the 1960 Olympics and broke the four minute mile on seventeen occasions. Herb has also had a successful career off the track in business with Puma and the Fortescue Metals Group. We ask Herb about the secrets to his success in Sport and Life.
We chat with Collingwood Premiership player Jarryd Blair about his career at the magpies. He opens up about his early days with Gippsland Power and how he landed a spot on the rookie list at Collingwood. We then chat about the emotional scene in the film 'Collingwood from the Inside Out' where Jarryd is told his career as an AFL player is over. A fantastic chat with a fine player and person.
Andrew opens up about the early days of his career and shares a funny story about his first public speaking engagement with Leon. We chat about his Olympic journey and carrying the flag at the 2000 Sydney Games. Andrew opens up about the tragic loss of Danny Frawley and the legacy he had left behind.
We chat with inaugural West Coast Eagles President, and Sydney chairman of 20 years Richard Colless. He discusses how hard it was for the West Coast Eagles to join the AFL competition and all the added hoops they had to jump through to make it happen. He then opens up about the amazing culture that was developed at the Swans and how they went onto Premiership success.
We chat with Laurie about his early days playing for Assumption College and coming across to Fitzroy in the late 70s. Laurie shares stories with Sam about his ethnic heritage and compare school yard lunchboxes. Laurie also talks about the merger between Fitzroy and Brisbane and what it was like being on the inaugural board during that time.
We chat with Mick about his 174 game career as a player and 718 games as coach of Footscray, West-Coast and Collingwood. Mick talks about his relationship with Nathan Buckly and Eddie McGuire as well as his thoughts on the current state of the game.
We chat with special guest Kim Hughes about his career and some of the more colourful characters he played with in that time. We also ask about the off field drama with World Series Cricket and how that changed the game forever.
With a jam packed weekend of sport ahead of us there were plenty of topics to discuss. Are Richmond the real deal in 2020? Is the correct phrase 'WAGs' or 'significant others?' And who to look out for at the 2020 Tour de France which begins on Saturday under the cloud of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Media personality and winner of the 1993 Stawell Gift Jason Richardson drops by to chat about the resurrection of the iconic race. Jason talks about the betting plunge on him the year he won, and the effect the win had on his coaches and immediate friends and family. He also drops a long shot tip for the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
We catch up with Swettenham Stud owner Adam Sangster about his family history in thoroughbred racing and he also gives us a couple of future bets to follow for the 2020 Spring Carnival.
We chat with the oldest living Brownlow Medalist Neil Roberts about his time at the Saints, how he ended up doing expeditions to Antartica and his quest to save lives in Vietnam. An amazing story.
We chat with one of Australia's most successful horse trainers Peter Moody. He talks about his return to racing after four years out of the sport and gives insight into the reasons behind his suspension. Peter opens up about what it was like training the worlds best ever sprinter, Black Caviar. He also tells a funny story about the time he met the Queen during the Royal Ascot carnival.
We chat with former St.Kilda president Andrew Plympton about his time at Moorabbin and how the Saints came close to merging with Carlton. We also dig into the circumstances that lead to the sacking of Stan Alves. He also chats about his sailing connections and his membership on the Australian Olympic Committee executive.
We chat with AFL Hall of Fame legend Des Tuddenham about his career and why he left Collingwood to play for Essendon. Des talks about his commitment to training and why he was a successful player throughout the 60s and 70s. Sam also plays psychologist and tries to work out why Collingwood lost three Grand Finals during Des's playing days.
We check in with three time Brownlow medalist Bob Skilton to see how he's travelling after breaking his shoulder. Bobby also reflects on some of his toughest opponents throughout his career and the transition from South Melbourne to the Sydney Swans.
We chat with Australian Cycling legend John Trevorrow who opens up about the highs and lows of his career and the current state of cycling. Sam throws the hard questions at 'Iffy' about the current lycra clad middle aged men along Beach Road. We also talk about John's passion for the Tour de France and connection with the Mitchelton Scott team.
We chat with Coleman Medalist and former Footscray full forward Simon Beasley as he chats about life on and off the field. A stockbroker by trade, Simon was also at one stage one of Australia's biggest bookmakers who had his fair share of dramas with the regulators and the punter.
Simon Crean opens up about his love for the Kangaroo’s and his 23 years in Canberra. We also find out who he would most like to share a bottle of Chardonnay with on another episode of Sport & Life with Sam & Leon.
In this episode hear the inside story of Mal Brown’s late entry to League football in Melbourne, and what an impact !!—already a legend in Western Australia as a “hard nut” player at three clubs and as a successful captain-coach, Mal’s football journey is intriguing, captivating, hilarious and incident packed. And yet there is more to Malcolm than most would know—so, you won’t want to miss a word.