Refuse to Lose Podcast

We sit down with dual international Mat 'the Rat' Rogers. This guy has had an incredible life filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Talking his prestigious career in the NRL & Australian Rugby. What it was like growing up the son of a footy legend in Steve Rogers. The difficulties of losing his Dad to suicide just years after the passing of his mother to cancer. He speaks so passionately about his charity 4 ASD Kids , created to help young people born with Autism like his son Max. He also discusses his reality TV career from Dancing with the Stars to being a two time Survivor contestant ... plus the work he's doing in sports management now through his new business Rogers Sports Management. All that and so much more! Enjoy.

Talakai the Tank Engine - recently Jake sat down with the rising Sharks star for Fox League. He talks about how his own arrogance led to his sacking at South Sydney. His time as a garbage man and the guilt he felt not being able to support his family and six siblings. He's softly spoken but very honest about his own flaws and how he turned them around to revive his footy career at Cronulla!

One of the baddest men on the planet Tai Tuivasa stopped by for a chat today! We talk about his rapid rise through the UFC heavyweight ranks and his desire to be a world champ. Tai is unapologetically himself and is brutally honest. We talk about the tough times growing up in Western Sydney and how he turned around a potential life of crime to be one of the most popular athletes in the world. He strives to be a role model for underprivileged kids like himself, teaching them to appreciate what they have... while also never settling for it if you have big dreams. He talks his wild and brutal footy career, his secret swimming talents and even locked himself into a $1000 bet with @jakeyduke plus plenty more. Check it out. 💰🏊🏽‍♂️ Video also available now on @kayosports 🎥

It was an honour and a real career highlight to sit down with one of the G.O.A.Ts of the NRL and talk about absolutely everything!! We chat about his stints in rehab and his on-going battle with bi-polar; how his Goanna Academy is helping to change the mental health outcomes for other young men, we talk hanging up on Russell Crowe twice, sharing the 2014 GF win with one of his idols Cathy Freeman. Plus how he almost played AFL for Essendon and SO SO much more !!! I've watched a lot of G.I interviews over the years and I honestly don't think I've seen him so raw but also so relaxed, entertaining and at peace. SEASON 3 of the podcast kicking off with a BANG!! Check it out now LIVE on Kayo Sports

Really interesting and honest chat with Australian Netball legend Caitlin Bassett. Due to serious knee injuries, the former Australian captain finds herself in an unwanted and unique position, currently without a super netball contract despite still being a member of the Australian squad. In this emotional chat we talk the possibility of retirement, the difficulties of realising her 18-year professional career could be over and the difficult trail of self discovery she is currently on. That plus all the highlights from her glittering career, her concerns for the future of Australian Netball and its development of young players, her love of animals and her hopes for the future!! That plus plenty more!

A new era for the Refuse to Lose Podcast. Filming our first episode in the Kayo podcast studios. We couldn't have picked a better person to do it with. Harry Garside's story is incredible. He's Australia's first Olympic medallist in boxing for 33 years .... taking Bronze in Tokyo after actually missing Olympic selection on 5 previous occasions. But this man smashes just about every stereotype you have about boxers. He does ballet training, loves performing arts & high school musical, paints his nails is comfortable wearing dresses ... and he does it all to challenge how masculinity is viewed not only in combat sports but society as a whole. He is such a critical thinker and a man of outstanding moral integrity who pushes himself and other young people to achieve their best. A MUST LISTEN! Hope you all enjoy it!

Finally got a chance to get Ryan James on the poddy! One of the nicest blokes in Rugby League despite being a beast on the field! We chat about his move to the Broncos and how he's come back so strong after so many devastating injuries! We chat getting his Masters in Business and how he's striving to help other Indigenous people start their own initiatives. We talk his charity work and his own foundation plus plenty more fun stuff including the time he met Margot Robbie! Also available on Kayo Sports.

Tyrell Sloan's story is a wild one. His parents struggled with drug and and alcohol abuse, therefore he was raised by his grandmother from two months old, who was also on welfare. He is one of the nicest and most driven young men you'll ever meet! Wisdom beyond his 19 years. A great story for all to hear! We hope you enjoy!

Alex Volkanovski is one of Australia's most under appreciated World Champions. He is the current Featherweight title holder in the UFC and is preparing to defend his crown again this year after winning a scary battle against COVID-19. We talk dealing with hate and criticism, his championship mindset, the growth of Mixed Martial Arts, plus cooking, Rugby League and plenty more random stuff along the way. We hope you enjoy!

This is a very special episode to myself and Rhys and one of the things I am most proud of in my career so far. It's called Rabbitohs Raw and was originally taped as a special feature piece on Fox Sports for Indigenous round in the NRL in 2021. This is the extended cut which includes my entire interview with Rabbitohs superstars Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Damien Cook. If you missed the original episode, it can be found on Kayo Sports at any time. In this chat we have a bit of fun and get to know the guys a little bit better. But the main purpose of this round table discussion was to investigate the topic of race and on a smaller scale, what it's like to be a black, high profile athlete in Australia in 2021. Guys like Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker have been subjected to some vile abuse and racism throughout their careers but have always stood tall and taken a stand as proud Indigenous men. Today they open up about it all, supported by their non-Indigenous teammate Damien Cook, who speaks on what he's seen these guys go through and how he believes we all need to listen and educate each other to move forward as a society. It's an enthralling chat packed with additional content that couldn't make the TV version because of time constraints but should still be heard. It's all part of an important conversation and by listening in to today's episode you are showing that you too are willing to learn and make a difference... so thank you. I hope you get something out of it.

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. Affiliate Links: My Muscle Chef: https://t.cfjump.com/73321/t/69088?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.mymusclechef.com%2f Shaver Shop: https://t.cfjump.com/73321/t/21392?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.shavershop.com.au%2f Lulu Lemon: https://t.cfjump.com/73321/t/43371?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lululemon.com.au%2f

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. Affiliate Links: My Muscle Chef https://t.cfjump.com/73321/t/69088 Shaver Shop: https://t.cfjump.com/73321/t/21392

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!

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

Welcome to the next episode of the Refuse to lose podcast ! My guest today is cross code football superstar Charlotte Caslick. Charlotte rose to prominence four years ago by leading the Australian Women's Rugby 7's team to Olympic gold in the sports introduction to the games. But in doing so her and her teammates achieved so much more. They were trail blazers in normalising women's contact sport in Australia and in doing so forced the other major football codes across the country to invest heavily in their own women's leagues. Charlotte recently switched codes to play in the NRLW and was once again an absolute stand out on the field before injury cut her season short. In this episode we discuss changing sports, we speak about how she went from a girl who was terrified of contact to becoming one of the best female footballers on the planet. We talk about body image and breaking down stereotypes about female athletes when it comes to appearance. We also chat about the Olympics and her hopes of defending the girls crown in Tokyo ... plus plenty more left field stuff including ...Donald Trump, scary doll collections and cows!! I hope you enjoy.