Head Game

On this episode of Head Game, we’re taking a look back at some of the incredible survivals we’ve heard on the podcast so far.   We start with former soldier-turned-Paralympian Curtis McGrath, who’s mindset shifted as he was being airlifted off the battlefield after losing his legs in an IED blast. You’ll also hear from former fighter pilot...

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and mental health issues. On this episode of Head Game, a look back at some of Ant's conversations with people with a passion for going the distance - literally. All of these guests have pounded the pavement, the beaches, the bush and everything in between. We start with Pat Farmer, who ran from the North Pole to the South Pole in 2011....

This week, we're taking a look back at Ant's conversations with former soldiers, who have faced enormous challenges while working as part of the military. First up, Ant's chat with fellow SAS alum and good friend, Ollie Ollerton on his time with the Royal Marine Commandos. Then, elite Navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder on the day a shark attack claimed his hand and leg while working in Sydney Har...

This week, we're taking a look back at the people who have lived through the unthinkable. First up, a look back at Ant's very first Head Game guest, Beaconsfield mine disaster survivor Todd Russell. Then Jackson Warne on the day he received the call that his father Shane had passed away, and how he pulled himself through the heartbreak. And finally, Jason McCartney on the horror he endured during...

This week, we're taking a look back at the people who put their lives on the line each day to keep us safe. Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hawkins is known around the world thanks to the hit TV series Bondi Rescue, but what has kept him on the beach for more than 30 years? Plus fifth generation serviceman Heston Russell opens up about the military operation that has left a permanent mental scar. And fo...

This week, we're taking a look back at the stars who live their life in the spotlight, but were vulnerable enough to give us a peek behind the curtain at the challenges who have made them who they are. Aussie music icon Pete Murray, NRL legend turned podcaster Matty Johns, and rapper 360 all opened up about the grit and pain behind their success, and how they dug deep to keep going. LINKS Listen t...

The challenges in Paul Hockey's life started just weeks after he was born. His mother discovered a lump on his arm, which turned out to be cancer. The only option was to amputate little Paul's arm at the shoulder to save his life. Never one to play the victim, Paul would ditch his prosthetic arm at school, took up martial arts and even rode a motorcycle. But his biggest challenge came when he deci...

Nicholas Gibbons was still a teenager when was deployed to Afghanistan as a Royal Marine. One night while on patrol, an IED blast claimed the lower half of his right leg. After enduring five operations to repair the remainder of his limb and rehabilitation, Nick was fitted with a prosthetic leg and put his uniform back on, returning to training just three months later. He was deployed as an ampute...

Michelle Lee was living an ordinary 9-5 life, with a stable corporate job in the banking sector. But looking for more out of life, she took to the water. Inspired by the book 'Rowing the Atlantic‘ by Roz Savage, she started an intensive training regiment. Her determination say her eventually become the first Australian female to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, then the first woman in the...

Luke Richmond has lived many lives: outback kid, infantry soldier, addict, inmate, endurance adventurer, author, and world-record holder. In this episode, Luke unpacks the moments that shaped his life, from growing up in remote Australia enduing relentless bullying, to joining the army at 17, and spiralling into an addiction that left him locked up in a foreign jail. And how hitting rock...

I've spoken to some really inspiring people over the last year, many of which have used exercise and fitness as a means to get their head back in the game. Firstly, fellow Brit Jack Pitcher decided running across Australia was the perfect project to focus his energy on when his mind wasn't quite right. Then, congenital amputee Louise Hawkins on how CrossFit inspired her to stop hiding her disabili...

Over the last year I've had conversations with some amazing survivors, who not only survived, but are thriving against all odds. First, Suzanne Heywood details how a dream sailing trip as a child turned into a nightmare at the hands of her narrowly-focussed father. Then, Matthew Lewis on how he was forced to take control when the fishing vessel he was working on sank in the Antarctic Ocean. And fi...

With the year drawing to a close, I look back at some of the most impactful conversations I've had over the last year. This episode features some of Australia's sporting greats: former Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown on getting his head right early in his AFL career; then Olympian Elle Armit on the heartbreak of being dropped from representing Australia, and how she built herself back up; an...

With the year drawing to a close, I look back at some of the most impactful conversations I've had over the last year. In this episode, inaugural Masterchef winner Julie Goodwin 's raw and candid conversation about her mental health; plus 7NEWS journalist Mike Amor recounts being on the ground as the September 11 attacks unfolded in 2001; and journalist Cheng Lei opens up about her experience in a...

A parent's instinct is to protect their children from harm, and in a world full of adversity, our kids have never needed resilience more. But wrapping them in cottonwool could be doing more harm than good. In this episode, former soldier, leadership consultant and resilience expert Tim Curtis shares his own lessons from the battleground and corporate life. He also unpacks the extensive research an...

Peter Baines spent years as part of the New South Wales police force investigating some of the state's most horrific crimes and collecting and analysing the forensic evidence to convict the perpetrators. After helping with the recovery and investigation of the Bali bombings in 2002, Peter was tapped to assist when a devastating tsunami struck Thailand on Boxing Day, 2004. In this raw and candid co...

Saya Sakakibara and her brother Kai grew up competing in BMX racing, starting when her family moved to Japan. When they relocated back to Sydney, the pair quickly rose through the ranks, winning a slew of state and national titles between them. No stranger to accidents while competing, Saya had suffered a number of concussions herself before Kai was involved in a serious accident in 2020. It...

There's no denying that many modern 'conveniences' are actually making us less resilient, sicker and un happier than ever before. And we've been told for years to avoid stress to help us live better. But in his new book The Hardiness Effect , Dr Paul Taylor says we need to view potential adversity as a challenge, rather than a threat. Instead, we should be embracing stress and using it as fuel to...

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and mental health issues. Barry Du Bois had been a successful builder who had retired young and was sailing around the world, when he was tapped to join the TV world, becoming a beloved face on our TV screens thanks to the hugely popular TV series  The Living Room . But behind the beaming smile that greeted audiences was a lifetime...

Adam Reynolds grew up in the Sydney suburb of Redfern - the heartland of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A gifted junior footy player, he quickly rose through the ranks, taking home plenty of awards and ultimately winning the NRL premiership in 2014. But he shocked the NRL community in 2021 when he left the Rabbitohs to head north and captain the Brisbane Broncos - leading them to victory in the 2025...

Jack Carr grew up with a love of reading, and when he joined the Navy SEALs, he always carried a book with him into battle. But when we left the military life to focus on his family, a new career as a bestselling author flourished. Now his books have been adapted into two hit Amazon Prime Video series: The Terminal List starring Chris Pratt, and The Terminal List: Dark Wolf starring Taylor Ki...

Growing up in a strict religious household and sheltered from the outside world, Claire McAuliffe found herself coerced into marriage at the age of 18. When her husband moved Claire and their growing family to a compound belonging to a known doomsday cult, she slowly began to question the absurd teachings and questionable actions of cult leaders and members. As her questions grew, Claire found her...

In August 2025, Port Adelaide star Travis Boak called time on his 19-year AFL career. Known for his commitment to the game and strong mental focus over a record 387 games with the club, he's now sharing his life lessons from two decades of high performance in the new book 'The Power Within'.  In this episode, Travis discusses how, while his father's death fuelled his success mindset, it was u...

Growing up, Jaye Pukepuke dreamed of making it big in rugby league. But falling in with the wrong crowd led him to a life of crime. Convicted of 15 armed robberies, his jail sentence not only ripped away his freedom, but his hopes of hitting the heights of the NRL. But sitting in a cell and wanting more from life, Jaye made the most of opportunities to progress within New Zealand's rugby leag...

After graduating from university as a marine biologist, Matt Lewis scored his first big role in the field as an observer aboard the South African fishing vessel Sudur Havid. Just three weeks after leaving dry land, the boat was hit by a massive Antarctic storm. As a massive swell swamped the vessel, the water pumps failed. The Sudur Havid tipped on its side and was unable to recover.  In this...