Two Good Sports

State of Origin is almost here, and the biggest talking point is Georgie's husband* being left out the Queensland squad. We break down the Origin selections, what the notable player absences means for the Blues and Maroons, and how Billy Slater might be thinking about form, fitness and the long game. 

Sam Kerr got the perfect farewell at Chelsea with a goal, as she looks ahead to the next stage of her career, there were flowers for Matildas legend Melissa Barbieri - an A-League champion at 46 years old, and Ross Lyon surprised everyone when he revealed a Labubu obsession.

And we are sending so much love to Jai Arrow, his family and teammates, as he revealed a devastating MND diagnosis. It highlights the power of sport and the importance of the Big Freeze - we're talking with Bec Daniher next week to hear all about the event and the incredible work the organisation does.

*Reece Walsh

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abbey is proudly in the top 1% of listeners. Georgie has a favourite and it's the only Broncos fan in the band. Together we are so excited to welcome Simon and Big Strong John Wiggle to Two Good Sports, to hear how they stay fit on tour, staying loyal to the Eels and the Tigers in tough times, and how they keep their love of sport alive with the demands of fatherhood. 

Plus, they rank their top 5 Wiggles songs, talk about new single Sparkle and incredible WiggleVision video that goes with it, and tell us what's next for the undisputed champions of Australian entertainment. 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Pendlebury’s milestone weekend is coming up; his record-breaking game approaches and it's ignited a debate on the proceeds from the sale of match‑worn guernseys, some expected to fetch eye‑watering prices. We chime in with our thoughts on player branding, and where the league draws the line on personal profit. 

It was also a brutal week for coaches. Michael Voss’ exit at Carlton, Ivan Cleary’s surprise decision to step away from Penrith, and ongoing pressure across both codes shows how unforgiving the job can be. Add serious injury concerns, fan backlash and endless speculation, and it was a hectic week if you're in charge of a footy team. 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She scored the winning goal for England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, was the MVP at the 2023 World Cup, and dressed as Hannah Montana for her 30th birthday. She is of course, Helen Housby.

She's probably the most famous netballer in the world, and she joins us to talk going viral without trying, becoming an Aussie and why the world’s best netballers still don’t have the security they deserve. Could a new TV deal with Super Netball change all that? Plus, we discuss the MBE and meeting the King, coffee snobbery, and her extremely handsome cat, Roger. 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The FIFA World Cup is a month away and already we're having things taken from us: at the time of recording, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation had announced there would be no more live matches shown at Fed Square in Melbourne, scene of some iconic moments (see Mathew Leckie's goal celebrations in 2022). 

But then, on Thursday afternoon we had breaking news - Premier Jacinta Allan intervened to overturn the decision and bring the games back to Federation Square. We debate why it matters so much to Aussie fans. 

Also this week it was our Super Bowl - the Met Gala. It was an event bankrolled by billionaires with questionable ethics; should we be having such lavish displays of wealth with the world in its current state? We discuss it, but also there's no getting away from the incredible fits - who was giving ‘hot parrot’? Why did we see what looked like a Dotti dress from 2014? Never fear, we make an attempt to link it all back to sport (where was Lewis Hamilton?). 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever since Georgie saw him do something strange on a flight from Melbourne - something that sparked a big debate - he's been an unofficial third host of this podcast. He's also coach of the GWS Giants, a former premiership player with Port Adelaide, and an all-round excellent sport. 

Adam Kingsley gives us a look behind the curtain at the Giants, the truth behind that famous half-time spray, and his motivations for coaching after a successful career as a player. 

We get the logic behind the infamous stand-up desk he fashions for himself on flights, the story from his playing days where he was told he “cost Port a premiership”, and why his old teammates still won’t let him forget it.

Plus, life outside footy: Taylor Swift, Slipknot, and long-lost Greek restaurants. 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abbey has too many bad sports this week, so we're supplementing Good Sport, Bad Sport with a new segment: Ab-solutely Not. One of them is the reaction to Lance Collard’s ban in the AFL; the handling of the case by the appeals board was completely at odds with the ‘zero tolerance’ messaging the AFL says it lives by.

Then it's Scott Pendlebury's special golden guernsey - whose idea was that?

And also this week, Aussie Olympian Ryan Gregson was on the For The Kudos podcast and made some pretty outrageous comments. We’d never heard the term ‘getting chicked’ before, but are we having misogynistic comments like that? Ab-solutely not. For someone whose own partner is an outstanding athlete and marathon runner herself, it was a very disappointing comment.

Plus in the NRL, the new PNG team the Chiefs are going big on the recruitment. One of those is West Tigers’ Jarome Luai – he’ll join the new team after the 2027 season on a $1.2 million a season deal. And it’s tax free.

But Jarome says he’s not going there for the money and it’s going to make a difference to a lot of people. Who’s going to follow him next? And why aren’t the new Perth Bears making such big moves?

Never fear, there is a good sport: shout out Millie Elliot – playing Game 1 of State of Origin yesterday, just 6 months after having a baby. Incredible.

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He's one of our best and most beloved cricketers, one who revolutionised the keeper position. He was a wicket keeper with a strike rate of 92 in Ashes Tests, the first player to hit 100 sixes in Tests, and won three consecutive World Cups - and that's just the accolades we've put here, trust us there are plenty more.

We chat with Gilly about his incredible career, what it was like having the best seat in the house as Warnie and McGrath bowled some of the best spells we've ever seen, celebrations and sledges, and how life after cricket looks when you've got your own tequila brand.

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geelong's Bailey Smith opened up discussion this week around the AFL's responsibility to its players and their mental health. Is it time for a Mental Health Round? 

Plus, Gout Gout, our own answer to Usain Bolt and arguably the most exciting prospect we've seen in sprinting in recent years, kept the comparison alive by doing something crazy at the Under-20s championships in Sydney (it wasn't just the fact he broke yet another record). We discuss his future, the hype, and what's next. 

And the injuries keep on coming in the NRL: Georgie is annoyed, but it does mean potential good news for the upcoming State of Origin.

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He wore the most famous number in West Coast history, stood 201cm tall, and spent a decade living in Perth’s footy fishbowl, but life after the number nine looks a little different to Nic Natuini. We sit down with the West Coast legend to talk mentorship, parenting on no sleep, and what happens when half your teammates weren’t born for your premiership.

Covering fame fatigue, functional soda and sending your twin brother to pick up the takeaway - this week's ep is a refreshingly honest take on footy. 

 

Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.