Around the Pod | Pickleball Podcast

The ATP crew is back in the studio! In this episode, Aaron, Josh, Michael, and Justin break down everything that went down over the past month.

In this episode:

• Team Friday Signing: Josh breaks down his Asia trip, joining Team Friday, and transitioning to hot foam paddles.
• Tournament Recaps: Gippsland Championships bronze run, Eastern Indoor league finals, and PPA Gold Coast recap.
• The Hot Take: Are modern paddles getting too hot and fast for the game, or has the meta simply evolved?
• Paddle Tech Breakdown: Foam vs. honeycomb, 14mm vs. 16mm, wide-body vs. elongated, and how to weight your paddle.
• APC 2026 Preview: 1,300+ players heading to Pimpama Sports Hub and ATP hosting the official Trivia Night on Wednesday!
• Drafting Beer Buddies: Answering George Wall's question on who we'd pick for a cold one in the pickleball scene.

Sponsor Deal: Get 15% off your order at Choice Pickleball with code ATP15 at checkout!
https://choicepickleball.com.au/ATP15

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

HOSTS:
Aaron Blitz
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell
Justin McLeod

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Instagram

Send us your questions and comments!

The MLP Australia 2026 Draft is in the books! 🇦🇺🏓 In this mini-episode of Around the Pod, the team sits down to analyse all 8 team rosters ahead of Event 1 in Melbourne.

We break down draft strategy, debate left-vs-right court positioning, evaluate Dream Breaker capabilities, and share our bold predictions for the season ahead.

Inside this episode:

• Brisbane Breakers: Harry Brown taken #1 overall - how will he pair with Joey Wild?
• Sydney Smash: Joey Farias joins Mitch Hargreaves in an ultra-experienced lineup.
• The Coasters: Danni-Elle Townsend leading a high-octane offensive squad.
• Gold Coast Glory: The wild 3-leftie lineup experiment.
• Melbourne Thunder: Zach Grabovic, Tom Protzek, and 16-year-old phenom Aria Henare.
• Bondi Pickleball Club: Ethan Chung’s rapid rise from beginner to Premier in under 6 months.
• Pacific Flame: Sahra Dennehy and Lucas Pascoe headline a stacked, balanced team.
• Northern Crocs: Solid depth with Andie Dikosavljevic and Prycen Haas.

Who do you think will win the 2026 season? Drop your predictions on our socials!

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

HOSTS:
Aaron Blitz
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell
Justin McLeod

FOLLOW US
Youtube
Instagram

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MLP Australia, Major League Pickleball Australia, Pickleball Australia, Around the Pod, Pickleball Podcast, MLP Draft 2026, Australian Pickleball, DUPR Ratings, Harry Brown Pickleball, Joey Wild, Danni Townsend, Joey Farias, Pickleball Strategy, Dream Breaker Pickleball

Send us your questions and comments!

Josh Chia and Michael Murrell host Sydney’s Brian Tran and Daiki Tanabe to talk tennis transitions, court shortages, and the growth of Australian pickleball.

• National Academy Memories: Brian on playing alongside Australia's top tennis guns and transitioning to chiro.
• Pickleball Mechanics: Adjusting stroke lengths, mastering quick hands, and why movement efficiency is key.
• Sydney Communities: Celebrating social hubs like Pickle Bears and navigating venue scarcity.
• Hot Takes & Drafts:Tournament seeding variety, singles vs. doubles entertainment value, and drafting an Aussie Pickleball 4-4-2 soccer squad.

HOSTS:
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell

GUESTS
Brian Tran
Daiki Tanabe

FOLLOW US
Youtube
Instagram

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A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!

On Episode 5 of Around the Pod, Aaron Blitz and Michael Murrell sit down at Pickle 4real with PPA pros Joey Farias and Mitch Hargreaves!

Joey breaks down his history playing alongside Ben Johns, Simone Jardim, and Catherine Parenteau, and shares the hilarious true story of how the "Nasty Nelson" was used against its inventor using a 14-ounce leaded paddle. Meanwhile, Mitch breaks down his PPA Triple Crown, his run in Tokyo, and what it really takes to train in Australia and compete globally.

Plus, the group tackles whether rally scoring is needed for pickleball to hit the mainstream, and why you should NEVER apologise for a net cord.

HOSTS:
Aaron Blitz
Michael Murrell

GUESTS
Joey Farias
Mitch Hargreaves

FOLLOW US
Youtube
Instagram

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A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!

The Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang is right around the corner, and Team Australia is locked and loaded! 🇦🇺

Join Aaron, Michael, Justin, and Josh as they run through the full list of players representing Australia across the Open, 50+, 60+, U18, and U14 categories. We break down the team dynamics, seedings, and what it’s going to take to bring home gold (and the $25k USD top prize).

To close things out, the boys hold a snake draft to build the ultimate 4-player Pickleball World Cup squad using ONLY famous Australian athletes. Can a team featuring Nick Kyrgios, Cathy Freeman, and Brad Hill beat out a stack with Alex de Minaur and Oscar Piastri?

Drop us a message on socials to vote for the winning draft squad!

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

HOSTS:
Aaron Blitz
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell
Justin McLeod

FOLLOW US
Youtube
Instagram

Send us your questions and comments!

In Episode 4 of Around the Pod, Aaron Blitz, Josh Chia, Michael Murrell, and Justin McLeod dive into the highs and lows of recent tournament play, including their runs at the PPA, Gippsland Championships, and the Dink Series.  

The crew tackles some of the biggest debates in amateur and pro pickleball today:

• DUPR Ratings & Partner Drama: What happens when your partner's rating climbs faster than yours?  
• Drilling vs. Social Play: How many times a week should you hit to actually improve?  
• Sandbagging in Tournaments: Why players do it, how Pickleball Australia are fighting back with fair play guidelines, and what needs to change.  
• Mental Reset Strategies: Practical tips on handling court tension—including a surprising sour lolly trick from a therapist!  

Whether you are grinding to break past 3.5 or aiming for pro-level consistency, this episode breaks down the real reps, mindsets, and strategies you need on court.

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

HOSTS:
Aaron Blitz
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell
Justin McLeod

FOLLOW US
Youtube
Instagram

Send us your questions and comments!

Welcome to Around the Pod, hosted at Pickle4real! 

Hosts Josh Chia and Michael Murrell are joined in the studio by Crystal Mildwaters and Aaron "AJ" Johnson for a hilarious and insightful breakdown of the Australian pickleball scene. 

In this episode: 

• NPL Draft Drama: AJ reveals how he was dropped and traded from the Opals to the Outback, and how the NPL prize-money split system actually works. 
• Origin Stories & Culture: AJ explains his Japanese middle name and transition from accounting to coaching, while Crystal shares her Filipino heritage and balancing teaching with pro play. 
• Hot Take #1 (Wooden Paddles): AJ argues that top-tier paddles hide bad technique and that he'd beat most pros if everyone played with wooden paddles. 
• Hot Take #2 (The Right-Side Architect): Crystal makes the case for why right-side players are the under-appreciated architects of every point. 

HOSTS:
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell

GUESTS:
Crystal Mildwaters
Aaron "AJ" Johnson

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

Follow us
Youtube
Instagram

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!

Gold Coast pros Nick Maleganeas and Perth’s Nigel Lee join Josh Chia and Michael Murrell in the booth at Pickle4real ahead of the PPA Melbourne 250.

In this episode, the boys break down:
• Gold Coast vs Perth: Why Queensland produces Australia’s top players while Perth deals with DIY tennis court setups.
• Touring Asia: What Australian players can learn from Asian pickleball culture, 5 AM street food runs, and getting outplayed by pipe-smoking locals.
• Hot Takes: Nick calls out refs for shutting down banter on court, while Nigel attempts a ChatGPT-inspired hot take on the third shot drop.
• Aussie Pickleball "Love Island": The boys draft the ultimate pickleball cast, complete with dynamic duos and matching cheetah print outfits.

HOSTS:
Josh Chia
Michael Murrell

GUESTS:
Nick Maleganeas
Nigel Lee

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

Follow us
Youtube
Instagram

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!

Tournament weekend is here! 🏓

In this special Around the Pod mini-episode, your resident pros Aaron Blitz and Josh Chia take the mic to preview the massive PPA 250 Melbourne tournament happening this weekend (July 16th - 19th).

The boys leave no stone unturned as they analyse the official draws for:

• Men's & Women's Singles (Who has the toughest path to the podium?)
• Men's & Women's Doubles (The partnerships to watch and current form guides)
• Mixed Doubles (Our picks for the most wide-open division)

Aaron and Josh share their unfiltered opinions on who is looking lethal in training, who got a favorable draw, and exactly who they think will be standing on top of the podium by Sunday night.

Are you heading down to Melbourne or tuning in to the stream? Make sure you're subscribed to Around the Pod so you never miss an update on the Australian pickleball scene.

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

Follow us
Youtube
Instagram

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!

Episode Summary: Welcome to the premiere episode of Around the Pod—not Australia's first pickleball podcast, but definitely about to be its best! Hosted by pros Aaron Blitz and Josh Chia alongside self-proclaimed "average Joe" intermediates Justin McLeod and Michael Murrell, this show is here to bridge the gap between the pro court and the local rec session.

In this episode, we dive headfirst into a controversial debate that's dividing the community: Should amateur and intermediate players be paid prize money? Since tournament registration fees from the 3.0 to 4.0 divisions fund the pro-level payouts, we debate whether it's time for intermediates to get their own cash rewards—and why some players are secretly "tanking" their DUPR ratings to chase cash prizes in Asia.

We also discuss:

• Our hilarious (and slightly embarrassing) pickleball origin stories.
• How Victoria went from 7 registered members in 2018 to a thriving community of over 5,000.
• What Australia can learn from the massive food, fashion, and social pickleball lifestyle in Malaysia.
• Quickfire Round: Our honest reviews on the RPM V2, Six Zero Coral, and Jola Agassi paddles, our dream partners (shoutout to Ben Johns and ALW), and the on-court pet peeves that absolutely grind our gears.

Whether you're a seasoned pro, a 3.5 tournament regular, or a "Pickle Daddy" in training, grab your paddle and join the group chat!

Connect with us on Instagram:

• Around the Pod
• Josh Chia
• Aaron Blitz
• Justin McLeod
• Michael Murrell

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts—it helps the Aussie pickleball community grow!

Follow us
Youtube
Instagram

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A special thanks to our studio sponsor, Pickle4real — Melbourne’s premier indoor pickleball centre in Mentone.
Pickle4Real features eight climate-controlled indoor courts for social play, coaching, DUPR games, tournaments and private events. Open seven days a week, it also hosts PPA and DUPR competitions and offers venue hire and event support.
Play indoor pickleball in Melbourne at Pickle4real:
■ Website: https://pickle4real.com.au/
■ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickle4real/
■ Facebook: Pickle4real Facebook
■ Join Pickle4real League
■ Location: 36–40 Shearson Crescent, Mentone VIC 3194

Send us your questions and comments!