This episode features Australian Women's Cricket star Ash Gardner and it's another we've done in conjunction with News Corp and The Daily Telegraph to celebrate the companies first ever Indigenous sports month.

As a proud Kamilaroi man I've been very lucky to be involved in this initiative through my work at Fox Sports and I'm very proud to share it with our Refuse to Lose listeners as well.

Indigenous sports month profiles the most prominent Indigenous athletes in Australia not only to celebrate their on field brilliance but also to speak about some of the issues they are passionate about.

My chat today with Ash centre's around her passion for cricket and the evolution of the women's game in the past 10 years. We also speak about being just one of three Indigenous Australian's to ever play a test match for Australia in both men's and women's cricket and how we need to do more to increase those numbers. We also speak about her charity "The Ash Gardner Foundation" and how they are trying to improve education outcomes for Indigenous youth so that kids can have better employment prospects when they finish school.

Ash also speaks about her own cultural identity and how it's something she is still learning due to the fact that her mother was adopted at a very young age and didn't get to properly embrace her Aboriginality. We also have a bit of fun and reflect on that unforgettable moment where our Aussie women got to share the stage with Katy Perry after winning the T20 World Cup in front of a packed MCG on International Women's Day back in 2020.

I hope you enjoy my chat with Ash Gardner.

This episode features Matildas superstar Kyah Simon and its one we've done in conjunction with News Corp and the Daily Telegraph to celebrate the companies first ever Indigenous Sports Month.

As a proud Kamilaroi man I've been very lucky to be involved in this initiative through my work at Fox Sports and I'm very proud to share it with our Refuse to Lose listeners as well.

Indigenous Sports Month profiles the most prominent Indigenous athletes in Australia, not only to celebrate their on field brilliance but also to speak about some of the issues they are passionate about in Indigenous Australia.

My chat with Kyah today centre's around a number of things, starting with how she's faired playing football in the Netherlands in the middle of a pandemic. We talk about her catching Covid-19 and what that experience was like. We talk about her football for the Matildas and her ambitions moving towards the Olympics and the 2023 World Cup which will be held here in Australia.

But we also talk about her culture, some of the things she believes still need to be addressed in Australian society around Indigenous people. We chat about race and racism, reconciliation but also about role models and how seeing a young Cathy Freeman drove her to break down barriers and not only become the first Indigenous Australian to score a goal at a World Cup but how it has helped form her into the athlete she is today. I hope you enjoy my chat with Kyah and some of the other great profiles we have coming up.

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Today's episode is with Australian boxing sensation Paul "Showtime" Fleming.

If you haven't seen or heard from him before and you're wondering why they call him "Showtime" you'll quickly learn.

Like all great fighters he can absolutely talk the talk but mostly importantly he can back it up in the ring.

I met Paul while I was working for Main Event this year and I interviewed him in the ring after his latest victory. His post match interview was so funny and not only went viral but also made me want to learn more about this very unique character.

Paul is a proud indigenous man from far North Queensland who has battled more than just opponents in the ring to get to where he is today.

He survived domestic violence, severe illiteracy, ADHD, mental health issues and a range of other things throughout his life. It derailed what has always been a very promising boxing career that took him to the Olympics as an amateur back in 2008.

But now he is back, more focused than ever and still pushing for that shot at a world title. He is one of the deepest thinkers I've ever spoken to and for a man who couldn't read or write until his mid 20's his view of the world is a lot more educated and informative than a lot of other supposedly highly educated people I've met.

I hope you enjoy our chat.

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Recently I sat down with Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes for Fox League to talk about his career in the NRL and the prospect of the Storm defending their premiership in 2021.

It was such an enthralling chat and we had a lot of people ask to hear more so I asked Fox League and they were more than happy for me to share the whole interview with you guys.

Those who don't know Jahrome's story... his career is another of resilience and perseverance. He bounced around from club to club trying to get a start in first grade, moving all over the country ... from the Gold Coast, to Townsville and then to Melbourne. He debuted at 18 in the NRL but then only played 2 more first grade games in the space of 4 years.

Jahrome then joined the Melbourne storm purely on the basis to learn from the likes of Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy. He never thought he'd be able to crack into that team but thought he could atleast use his time at the champion club as a learning experience that might springboard him to a gig somewhere else.

Now five years later not only did he get a start, he turned himself from an out of favour fullback into a premiership winning halfback through nothing else but sheer will, determination and hard work. He is the very definition of refusing to lose. Enjoy Jahrome Hughes' story!!

My guest for today's episode is Jai Arrow from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Jai is a Queensland Origin star and one of the best young forwards in the NRL. He's tough & uncompromising, but also one of the most laid back guys you will meet.

Throughout this episode we talk about a number of topics including his difficult move from the Gold Coast Titans to South Sydney. We also discuss the vile abuse he and his family copped after an incident in Origin 3 last year involving James Tedesco and have a wider chat about the way players can be targeted on social media.

We speak about his favourite Wayne Bennett stories, plus who could forget his infamous mullet... or 'skullett' as he likes to call it and the important family reason why he decided to shave it and raise money for the World's Greatest Shave.

Jai has a great sense of humour and a heart of gold so I hope you enjoy our chat.

This is the first episode of Season 2 of the show, so thank you for coming back for another year and if you're a new listener don't forget to go back and check out all our previous shows.

To open up 2021 we are chatting to Gold Coast Titans halfback Jamal Fogarty! Again, Jamal is a guy Rhys and I grew up playing footy with and he is an absolute champion bloke on and off the field.

Jamal has a really incredible story about his journey to Rugby League success. He had a breakthrough season in 2020 after years of bouncing around clubs and reserve grade trying to get an opportunity. Jamal had to wait more than 1000 days between his second and third games in the NRL. But he never gave up, continually training and pushing himself to one day realise his dream.

But it's also what Jamal did during those 1000 days that illustrates what kind of man he is. While training for and playing semi-professional football, he was also working a full time job as a youth worker trying to improve the lives of disconnected kids on the Gold Coast. A job that while rewarding, can also be very emotionally draining ... and this is all while raising his own family.

You can hear the passion in Jamals voice as he talks about helping others, but then the shy, almost embarrassment when he is asked questions about himself. He's just that kind of humble guy. Throughout the chat we also cover his debut selection in the Indigenous Allstars, his 2020 season which of course includes the now infamous Josh Papalii ankle tap, plus his hopes for the Titans this year and plenty plenty more .

I really hope you enjoy my chat with Jamal Fogarty.

A year on from our first episode, Jake sat down with James Roberts for Nine News.

2020 was a tough year for James, the COVID break and a season ending injury once again triggered the demons he's battled since childhood.

Roberts spent time in mental health facilities and at times considered quitting Rugby League.

I'm pleased to say the time away renewed his self-worth and his passion for playing football and he is back.

In this interview we spoke about the trauma of last year, his move to the Tigers and how he's hoping to move forward in the future.

Enjoy!

This is our final episode of the year and we've saved one of the best for last.

Ronaldo Mulitalo is a rising young Sharks winger with arguably the best super star name in the NRL.

And make no mistake ... this kid is an absolute superstar!

Ronaldo is just 21 years old but he has the maturity, wisdom and outlook of someone in their 50's with a tonne of life experience and that's due to the fact that he's had to endure a hell of a lot more than most.

Ronaldo was raised by a single mum on the rough side of Auckland where for a large chunk of his childhood, his whole family lived together in a garage.

They were repeatedly robbed, the garage leaked water and the door wouldn't shut properly and would bang all night. It was a truly tough upbringing.

But instead of letting it beat him down and turning him to drugs, alcohol or crime, Ronaldo uses it to drive his passion of improving youth homelessness now that football has helped him into a much better position in life.

This is truely one of the most inspiring stories you'll hear and has created a young man with a profound and inspirational outlook whose main purpose in life is to serve and help others.

It's an honour to tell his story and all the stories we have brough to you this year. We hope you have enjoyed them. Thank you for your support and we'll be back bigger and better in 2021.

Enjoy my chat with Ronaldo Mulitalo.

Hey guys welcome to another bonus episode of the Refuse to Lose Podcast.

This week I did an interview with 2 x World Champion surfer Tyler Wright for Nine News but it was such an enthralling chat that I've decided to share the whole thing with you.

Tyler is in Hawaii preparing for the restart of the World Surf League after it has been on hiatus for the year due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

But Tyler has been bascially wiped out of competative surfing for over two years.

Back in 2018 she became very ill after contracting Influenza A while on Tour in South Africa.

It lead to a severe bout with Post-Viral Syndrome over the next two seasons ... where she was constantly bed-ridden with tiredness, body aches, brain fog, headaches, and extreme light and sound sensitivities.

At times Tyler thought she was going to die and the notion of ever surfing again was the furtherest thing from her mind.

But after years of specialists meetings and rehabilitation for her mind and body Tyler is back. But everything has changed.

Her mindset, her outlook on life, her views on surfing, competing and how it all ranks in the scheme of life have all been flipped upside down by her illness.

But her mindset is as resilient as ever. And it's a mindset that runs in her family. Her brother Owen also came back from a severe brain injury he suffered while surfing many years ago and I make reference to that in the chat as well.

Please enjoy.

Welcome to the next episode of the Refuse to Lose Podcast! My guest today is Parramatta Eels superstar Dylan Brown.

Dylan is truly one of the most unique characters we've had on the podcast. He's just 20 years old but as you'll soon realise... he has the maturity and temperament of someone much older and wiser.

Dylan has a confidence and swagger to do things his way. He packed up his bags in a matter of weeks and moved from NZ at 15 to come and play for Parramatta despite never really watching Rugby League as a kid.

He has a crazy work ethic and resilient mind set. Whether its his physical training ... where he was once put himself in hospital trying to win a time trial at training or whether he's decided to learn how to sew so he can start his own clothing brand that honours his heritage.

Dylan is also extremely aware of a the world around him, especially for someone so young and does plenty of work with children who are less fortunate than him to give back for all hes been blessed with.

This chat has a bit of every thing ... including his embarrassing encounters with footy legends ... to how game day nerves cause him a lot of stomach issues. Don't listen to that part while you're eating breakfast. We also talk big money contracts, playing for the all blacks and so much more. I hope you enjoy it