One on One

The biggest guest in Essendon podcasting history has landed - the great Scotty James.

The 29-year-old has done it all in professional snowboarding.

The boyhood Bombers fan from Warrandyte has accumulated two olympic halfpipe medals (silver and bronze), been an Australian Olympic Flag bearer, won three World Championships in the halfpipe and eight gold medals in the X-Games SuperPipe.

It's not just on the world snowboarding circuit where he's killing it, with James' personal life also just as fascinating. Best friends with Australian star F1 driver Daniel Riccardo, brother-in-law to Lance Stroll (and married to wife Chloe), James is one of the busiest sporting celebrities in the world when he's not competing.

Now, listeners can get a glimpse into what makes James tick. From dealing with fame after representing Australia at just 15 years of age in the 2010 Winter Olympics, to following the F1 circuit and his beloved Bombers, James offers complex thoughts in how he deals with the pressure of being an elite athlete and household name.

James also delves into modern topics which encompasses balancing the new age of social media's pressure on mental health, where he's accumulated over 800,000 followers, while also maintaining his ability to compete at the highest level.

For any aspiring athlete or casual sporting fan, this episode is not to be missed.

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In a preview to episode 11, Australian-born snowboarding superstar Scotty James reflects on life as a child prodigy.

Having been to his first Olympics at 15 years of age, James knows what external pressure can do to someone who may not be mature enough to handle it.

The two-time Olympic medallist shares his experiences with the joys of competing on the international stage, while subsequently crashing out when expected to win at such an early age. Through tears, dejection and external noise, James offers an insight into breaking through those barriers to come out more experienced and prepared for the rigours of elite sport.

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What makes one of the AFL's most elite players tick?

Andrew McGrath unpacks the mentality behind what makes Essendon Captain Zach Merrett the best of the best. Despite Merrett describing himself as "not the quickest, not the tallest and not the fittest", the three-time Crichton medallist explains how his success can be broken down into the art of competitiveness - the will to succeed in leaving no stone unturned.

Leadership also becomes a pertinent topic, most notably as Merrett describes bouncing back after being dumped from Essendon's leadership group in 2020, to being the club's vice captain only two years later.

This ep is a must-listen for anyone looking to be at the top of their game in any chosen field or those who are interested in learning about what makes one of the Bombers' most valuable players tick.

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In a preview to episode 10, Zach Merrett reveals the raw moment he found out about being nominated as the next Essendon Captain.

This mini ep showcases not only the determination Merrett showed to land the role, but the unbridled joy of earning it, which included a special passing of the baton with previous skipper Dyson Heppell.

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Since the inception of the AFL draft in 1982, only 39 people have experienced what it's like to be taken as the first overall selection.

Andrew McGrath is one of them.

The top pick from 2016's AFL Draft swaps hosting his own podcast to being the guest and delving into the crazy would which surrounds being a No.1 draft pick.

McGrath insightfully breaks down having to initially deal with the hype and scrutiny from media, clubs and the footballing public, to entering an AFL club as a first-year player and earning your stripes in an established team.

From quirky draft recruiter stories to the seriousness of having to mature into a professional athlete almost overnight, this episode offers a unique insight into something only very few people get to experience.

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It sent shockwaves throughout the AFL community when Essendon midfielder Darcy Parish parted ways from hosting the much-loved Rish & Rath podcast with Andrew McGrath.

Out of the ashes of its predecessor, One on One has taken flight and now, welcomes back Parish into the fold to bury the hatchet once and for all.

All joking aside, one of the AFL's most damaging players delves into what's been happening since his podcasting days, most notably talking about getting married in the off-season and recounting a treacherous story of being stuck on the side of a Tasmanian mountain in hurricane-like conditions thanks to McGrath's daring nature.

Parish also reflects on his upcoming 150th match, giving raw insight into having to mature as a player and become a more consistent performer in his formative playing days.

His joking mannerisms aside, listeners get to hear the fierce determination Parish holds which has helped him become one of the Bombers' most important players. 

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Delve into the brutal world of professional boxing.

Boasting a 4-0 record with ambitions to rise the ranks, Matt Avdoulos opens up to host Andrew McGrath about the harsh realities of boxing. Having gone through Commonwealth games trials and sparring with some of the world's best, the 25-year-old details the experiences of being thrown into boxing, which is full contact from an early age.

The episode also goes into the different challenges facing boxers and AFL players, with McGrath and Avdoulos sharing the similarities of competing, which largely centres around facing one's fears in the heat of action. 

Anyone who doesn't know much about the sport of boxing will find this chat a fascinating one.

 

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Professional boxer Matt Avdoulos has seen it all in the ring, but maybe didn't see being punched by a No.1 AFL draft pick coming.

In a preview to an intriguing episode seven with the rising Australian boxer, McGrath recounted a story between him and the 4-0 fighter in a sparring session. A long-time friend of McGrath's, Avdoulos hosted Essendon's halfback for a pre-season sparring session.

As a punishing session with the gloves neared to an end, McGrath accidentally slipped past the pads and landed a punch square in Avdoulos' face. Expecting the worst, the aftermath for McGrath wasn't what you'd expect!

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One of the more famous father/son selections in recent AFL history join One on One. 

Alwyn and Jayden Davey journey into their upbringing, breaking down growing up in their father Alwyn Snr's spotlight.

The twins talk about how they dealt with pressure and expectation of being Essendon's next father/son selection, the challenges of moving 3,800kms away from home to pursue their AFL dreams in Melbourne and Jayden delves into his struggles of battling an ACL injury in his debut year.

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In a preview to next week's full episode of One on One, father/son draftees Jayden Davey and Alwyn Davey Jr join Andy McGrath.

Jayden reveals the extent of suffering a season-ending knee injury in his draft year and how it affected him mentally, with the anxiety of potentially not joining his brother Alwyn on an AFL list.

After witnessing his brother go through injury hardship, Alwyn expresses his gratitude for being injury free and how he's drawn inspiration from his sibling's rehab journey.

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