Press Toward The Goal

Growing up in Central Queensland, being an AFL footballer was probably the least likely path talented sportsman Zac Smith could have imagined he would find himself on. But after being signed as one of the Gold Coast Suns first contracted players and featuring in 124 matches across a career spanning more than a decade, the Biloela born ruckman retired as one of Queensland's greatest home grown...

Caitlin Bettenay had a meteoric rise in the volleyball world, becoming the youngest player to make the Senior Australian Women’s team just three years after taking up the sport. A short time later, she found herself on a full scholarship to NCAA Division 1 Portland State University where she continued to excel and develop her craft. Wanting to explore opportunities to play beach volleyball, Caitli...

Hard hitting Brisbane Heat and Qld Fire cricketer Ellie Johnston burst onto the scene in October 2022, with a devastating WBBL half century which propelled her side to victory against the Melbourne Stars. Still a teenager at the time, that innings saw her marked as one to watch, as she continues to develop her game and receive additional opportunities on the big stage. On the eve of the 2023-24 Au...

Jeremy Kendle made a name for himself while helping his team to a national championship while at College, but his basketball career could easily have come to an end before tasting that level of success. A tenacity and fierce determination to succeed in his chosen sport saw the Indiana (USA) native return to the court following an injury-ravaged three year spell which would have been too much for l...

Sam Harper was identified as a prodigious cricket talent from an early age, captaining Victoria and representing Australia's Under 19s team. Just twelve months after making his first-class debut however, the wicketkeeper batsman suffered a severe concussion after being hit in the head by an opponents bat. Harper has since gone on to experience the highest of highest with the Melbourne Renegade...

Jesse Sene-Lefao has forged a successful career as a rugby league player in both the NRL and UK Super League as a powerful prop and hard running second rower. Things weren't always easy for the gentle giant however, being forced to wait five years for an NRL debut after first entering the Panthers system as a youngster. Listening to him share about his journey, it doesn't take long to understand J...

Connor Bond burst onto the Australian track and field scene in 2022, finishing 10th in the 100m at the Under 20 World Champions where he missed the final by 0.01 seconds. Competing in Open age competition for the first time in the 2022-23 season, the 19 year-old continued to make rapid progress which culminated in a sixth placing in the 100m at the Australian Athletics Championships. In this conve...

Mark Tipple joins me for an interesting conversation to talk about his sports management agency 'Unlshd Sports'. Still in its infancy, the agency already boasts one of the NRLW's biggest stars in Roosters premiership winner and World Cup champion Liv Kernick. Mark opens up about how he came into the industry, some of the challenges he has faced to date and busts some myths about what h...

Emmy award-winning producer Jason Romano lived the dream for 17 years at ESPN, working in sports broadcasting with the world leader and meeting many of his heroes. While he loved his work, the New Yorker reached a point where he longed for more. Enter Sports Spectrum. Birthed by NBA legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving in 1985, Sports Spectrum has the stated mission of being the place "wher...

Growing up as a member of the Pacific Islander community in the southern suburbs of Brisbane, Ray Moaga always valued having good people around him. In sports, family and faith settings the sense of connection was something which he treasured. It was almost inevitable Ray would find himself working to help others. The sports mad Samoan jumped at the opportunity to work with the New Zealand Warrior...

Hannah Johnson excelled at hockey as a teenager - competing at the national level - but she always knew she had more to offer her teammates than athletic ability alone. Taking on the responsibilities of a team chaplain before she ever knew what that was, it was almost as if Hannah was destined to work with high level athletes as a friend, confidant and counsellor.  Now working primarily withi...

Alan Tongue was widely acknowledged as one of the hardest working players in rugby league, during his 220 match NRL career. A man who let his actions on the field do the talking, the man from country New South Wales led the Canberra Raiders for five years and was named the Dally M Lock of the year and Captain of the Year at the conclusion of the 2008 season.  The hard-tackling forward left an inde...

Brad Walton is widely regarded as one of the best muay thai fighters in Australia, boasting a range of state, national and international titles. His journey into the world of competitive sport hasn't been easy however. In this episode, 'The Weapon' - as he is affectionately known - opens up on the personal challenges he has overcome to reach the pinnacle of his sport.  From losing both of his pare...

Few people embody the saying 'live life to the fullest' like Elana Withnall. A talented athlete from childhood, 'Lani' has tried her hand a numerous sporting pursuits and represented Australia at three of them - Athletics, Bobsleigh and Rugby Sevens. She hasn't always had it easy however, overcoming many injuries and other challenges which would have seen others throw the towel in. With an unshake...

Shaun Hart was a fan favourite for the Brisbane Lions during the 1990s and early 2000s, highly regarded for his tenacity and for playing well above his size. The tough midfielder endured the lowest of lowest with the Brisbane Bears in the early 90s - collecting back-to-back wooden spoons - before being part of the first AFL team in history to win three consecutive premierships in 2001, 2002 and 20...

In this Parkrun special, James Hansen takes us through the journey which has seen him go from Little Athletics to being the first athlete to stop the clock at an Australian Parkrun course in less than 14 minutes, completing the course in 13:53 minutes. The Tasmanian has overcome a huge number of physical and emotional setbacks over the course of his career, yet continues to go from strength to str...

James Hansen probably shouldn't even be running, let alone breaking records. The Tasmanian has overcome a huge number of physical and emotional setbacks over the course of his career, yet continues to go from strength to strength. From battling severe anxiety whenever he faced the starters gun, to overcoming substance abuse problems and dealing with the disappointment of falling agonisingly short...

The A-League, Australia’s pre-eminent football competition, has gone ahead in leaps and bounds over the past decade or so, in no small part thanks to the influx of talented foreign players who have raised the standard of the league. One of those players is Brisbane Roar legend Henrique, who joined the club in 2009 and retired as the second leading scorer in the history of the franchise a decade la...

Hundreds of thousands of people play cricket right across the world, but very few make it to the highest level, let alone represent their country in four World Cups. That is what Stephan Myburgh has done however, moving to the other side of the world to make his dream of becoming an international cricketer a reality.  After feeling as though he had missed an opportunity in the country of his...

Jason Fiddes has worked with professional sporting organisation for more than a decade, firstly with the Brisbane Broncos and most recently the NZ Warriors and the National Rugby League as a player wellbeing and education officer. With first hand experience of the pressures professional athletes face, he provides a fascinating insight into the environment our sporting heroes live in. From the Bron...

Identified as a gifted cricketer from a young age, James Bazley progressed through the traditional pathways as a junior and appeared to have the world at his feet after returning from a successful u19 World Cup campaign representing Australia and being awarded a contract by Queensland Cricket. Things didn't exactly go to plan over the next few years, but the talented allrounder worked his way back...

Jean van der Westhuyzen and teammate Tom Green shocked the world when they teamed up at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to win gold in the Men's K2 kayak event at their international debut as a pair. Jean discusses the road to Tokyo, how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted his preparation for the Games, what his first experience as an Olympian was like and what the future holds. He also provides an insight int...

The inaugural episode of Press Toward The Goal sees host Jason give an insight into what listeners can expect to hear on future episodes of the show.  SPOILER: We will speak to a host of sportspeople including Olympians, cricketers, footballers from all the major codes, as well as international athletes who have played at the highest level of their sport to discover what drives them. Follow u...