Matt is a joy! He is honest and open... and fun!

He is an Olympic gold medallist, a storyteller, and one of Australia’s most unforgettable characters with one of the most incredible journey's ever told on the Howie Games.

He brings energy and honesty to his entire chat… but first, enjoy the laughs in this Player Profile.

Time to dive in.

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Catch Matt in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which is at the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney NOW. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

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This was the very first episode of The Howie Games ever recorded - with the greatest voice Australian sport has ever known, Dennis Cometti. Farewell to the very best. Our thoughts are with the Cometti family on this terribly sad day. ❤️

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#TheHowieGames | Dennis Cometti. The doyen of Australian sports commentary. A man with the rare ability to match the perfect sporting moment with the perfect sporting comment. As he prepares to call his last game of AFL, Dennis provides us with some incredible insight into the man behind the mic.

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Rain halts the Super Eight opener in Colombo - and the tour diaries take an unexpected turn.

In Episode 4, Howie catches up with Pakistan’s cult hero Usman Tariq after his breakout World Cup performance, before heading south for surf, street food and a Sri Lankan detour with Finchy and the crew.

Then comes one of the great underdog stories of this tournament - Italy’s Ben Manenti. From regional qualifiers to Eden Gardens, Manenti reflects on taking on England, topping the World Cup’s total impact rankings, and what it means for associate cricket around the world.

00:00 – Rain At Premadasa Stadium

01:24 – Usman Tariq On ‘The Delayer'

06:33 – Tour Bus Chaos Begins

10:00 – Street Food Sri Lanka

14:13 – Italy’s World Cup Story - Ben Manenti joins the Tour Diaries.

17:58 – Qualifying For The World Cup

20:43 – Taking On England & Number One Impact Player

30:13 – Car Breakdown To Kandy

31:40 – Cricket Amid Global Uncertainty

33:20 – Homeward Bound!

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Howie’s Tour Diaries roll on with long drives, World Cup chaos and a detour into cricket commentary royalty.

Pommie Mbangwa reflects on Zimbabwe’s surge and shares brilliant memories of sitting alongside the voices we grew up with - Bill Lawry, Tony Greig and Richie Benaud.

From 1999 World Cup nostalgia to commentary box gold and schedule changes at every turn, the tour keeps delivering!

00:00 – Sunrise in Colombo, itinerary revealed
00:49 – Australia’s disastrous World Cup campaign
02:16 – On the road to Kandy with Pommie
05:30 – Zimbabwe’s rise & global reaction
10:28 – 1999 World Cup memories resurface
12:31 – Commentary box legends: Tony, Bill & Richie
22:32 – Oman v Australia toss & match begins
23:31 – Schedule chaos & India plans scrapped
27:09 – What’s coming in Episode Four

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The star of The College Diaries is in studio! Joe McGuire and Howie unite for their first ever meeting in person for a raw, honest, and revealing debrief of life inside the Ohio State system.

A young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

Joe opens up on the moment every Buckeye dreams of, taking down “The Team Up North”, in one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport. A win that validates everything… until the brutal reality of football hits. Because just weeks later, after a near flawless season, it all slips away. The emptiness. The silence. The sudden end to a brotherhood that felt unbreakable.

We dive into the College Diaries journey — the behind-the-scenes grind, the production, the pressure and the surreal rise of college athletes into global figures. 

Joe really is a brilliant young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

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You would have heard in the intros, we have Olympic Gold Medallist Matt Mitcham coming up on the show... catch him in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which heads to the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney from 26 February. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The star of The College Diaries is in studio! Joe McGuire and Howie unite for their first ever meeting in person for a raw, honest, and revealing debrief of life inside the Ohio State system.

A young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

Joe opens up on the moment every Buckeye dreams of, taking down “The Team Up North”, in one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport. A win that validates everything… until the brutal reality of football hits. Because just weeks later, after a near flawless season, it all slips away. The emptiness. The silence. The sudden end to a brotherhood that felt unbreakable.

We dive into the College Diaries journey — the behind-the-scenes grind, the production, the pressure and the surreal rise of college athletes into global figures. 

Joe really is a brilliant young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

*

You would have heard in the intros, we have Olympic Gold Medallist Matt Mitcham coming up on the show... catch him in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which heads to the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney from 26 February. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s World Cup hopes are officially over - but the tour diaries roll on.

In Episode 2, Howie leaves Kandy and heads to Colombo as rain, results and a disastrous loss end Australia’s campaign. But with a mic in hand and a game to call, there’s no time to dwell.

From a five-star breakfast buffet with Aaron Finch and Wasim Akram, to commentary box chats with Waqar Younis and the incredible story behind Pakistan’s newest star, this is a behind-the-scenes look at life inside a World Cup.

00:00 – Leaving Kandy For Colombo

01:47 – Colombo Arrival & Disastrous News

04:25 – Breakfast Buffet Madness

08:04 – Wasim Akram At Breakfast

09:03 – Finchy’s Spicy Food Lesson

13:11 – Match Day At The SSC

15:10 – Waqar On Pakistan Pressure

18:39 – Inside The Urdu Commentary Box

20:47 – From Sous Chef To Superstar - The Rise of Usman "The Delayer" Tariq

25:45 – Tour Rolls Back To Kandy

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The 2026 Tour Diaries begin in transit before diving straight into the chaos of the subcontinent.

In Episode 1, Howie takes you from long-haul flights to the madness of Sri Lankan traffic and the build-up to a do-or-die World Cup clash between Australia and Sri Lanka - a match he’s calling from the commentary box as the tournament pressure hits early.

Aussie champ Aaron Finch also joins the diary for a chat about touring the subcontinent, what it’s really like inside an Aussie campaign, and what it's like to lose to Zimbabwe!

00:00 - Tour begins

04:15 - Travel day chaos - Long flights, transit stops and arrival into Sri Lanka.

08:55 - First impressions of Sri Lanka - Five-hour drive to Kandy and settling in ahead of game day.

12:30 - Do-or-die for Australia - Why the Sri Lanka clash is crucial after the Zimbabwe loss.

16:20 - Aaron Finch joins - Finchy on touring the subcontinent and Australia’s must-win match.

17:50 - The pressure of the coin toss & the best voice in World Cricket - Howie prepares to call the game alongside Angelo Mathews for the first time.

20:30 - Match fallout

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He really is one of our favourites, and he returns for a thoughtful and revealing Next Chapter conversation.

We move beyond the traditional player story (you can also catch him in episode 73), Vaughany reflects on leadership, resilience, health, and the personal experiences that have shaped his life after cricket. He delivers a sharp take on the Ashes, discusses professionalism, team culture, and why England’s future may be closer than many think.

There is clear affection when he speaks about Australia, but the episode also explores very serious moments.

Honest, measured, and insightful, this is Vaughany at his most reflective. And we love him for it. 

*** 

Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He really is one of our favourites, and he returns for a thoughtful and revealing Next Chapter conversation.

We move beyond the traditional player story (you can also catch him in episode 73), Vaughany reflects on leadership, resilience, health, and the personal experiences that have shaped his life after cricket. He delivers a sharp take on the Ashes, discusses professionalism, team culture, and why England’s future may be closer than many think.

There is clear affection when he speaks about Australia, but the episode also explores very serious moments.

Honest, measured, and insightful, this is Vaughany at his most reflective. And we love him for it. 

*** 

Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.