Speak Free with MattyG

EPISODE #82: Kit Laulilii, Wests Tigers young gun forward joins me, MattyG, in the Speak Free Studio. We talked Kit’s big move next year to new franchise Perth Bears, his recovery from concussion this season, growing up a Wests Tigers fan and how much it’s meant to be part of the close-knit Wests Tigers culture, the May brothers re-signing prank, and so much more!

EPISODE #81: Ziad Soltani, inspirational sports photographer & videographer joins me, MattyG, in the Speak Free Studio. At just 12 years old, Ziad was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and faced a life-threatening battle. Against all odds, multiple operations & a high-risk surgery performed by Charlie Teo, and the support of a community that rallied behind him helped change the cou...

EPISODE #80: Keith Galloway, Wests Tigers legend, life member, and one of the best props to ever wear our colours joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to chat Keith’s career, which totalled 210 games in the NRL (173 at Wests Tigers) and 42 games in Super League. They also chatted his huge achievements including representing NSW for State of Origin in 2011, and representing Australia in the Kangar...

EPISODE #79: Pheonix Godinet, rising Wests Tigers star, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to chat Pheonix’s journey through the Wests Tigers pathways, his coaching/skills work and content creation, and how his dad has had such a positive impact on him not only as a player, but as a person, plus a whole heap more!

EPISODE #78: Isaac Issa, super popular rugby league journalist, returns to the Speak Free Studio, joining MattyG to discuss his rapid rise in rugby league media over the past year, including landing a role with ESPN and becoming NRL accredited media. They also got into some of the biggest talking points in rugby league, including the success of the latest edition of the NRL in Las Vegas and the We...

EPISODE #77: WESTS TIGERS 2026 SEASON PREVIEW In this special episode, Speak Free brings together some of your favourite Wests Tigers loving content creators - ShakTV, Lachie Pringle (Playing & Simple Podcast), NRL Fanatic & of course your host, MattyG - for a deep dive into the 2026 season. The boys break down: 🔥 Round-by-round predictions (zero Wests Tigers bias…🤥) 🐯 Players they'...

EPISODE #76: Jared Haywood, Wests Tigers young gun hooker, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss his rise through the ranks, his development within the Tigers system, and what it’s like training alongside Jarome Luai and Api Koroisau under the guidance of head coach Benji Marshall. They explore the renewed confidence and culture shift at the club, with Haywood backing the Tigers for a T...

EPISODE #75: Julian Ali, NRL content creator & St George Illawarra Dragons die hard, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Julian’s journey in content creation, and the rise of the rugby league creator community, especially in the past two years. They also chatted about his multiple public crushes on NRLW stars, the gratitude & responsibility that comes with having the club you...

EPISODE #74: Mitch Field, NRL content creator & Dragons die hard joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss how Mitch got started in content creation, and the video that blew up and launched him into the NRL space. They also chatted in detail about the Polaroid series, and how he achieved the mammoth task of having all 17 NRL clubs take shots with his Polaroid camera. Mitch also opened u...

EPISODE #73: Heath Mason, Wests Tigers young gun fullback & five eighth, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Heath’s young career coming up through the Wests Tigers Pathways system all the way to getting his NRL debut in 2024, and earning himself a top 30 spot heading into 2026. They also spoke of the positive culture of the club, and the changes that have been made to ensure West...

EPISODE #72: Heamasi Makasini, Wests Tigers recent debutant and one of the most promising and most talked about young guns in the NRL joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Heamasi growing up playing rugby union, and later on rugby league, starring for Newington College in the GPS Rugby Union competition and representing Australia in the Under 18s national team, whilst also making a huge...

EPISODE #71:  Isaac Issa, super talented rugby league journalist joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Isaac’s journey with his journalism career & his gigs at the ABC & Zero Tackle, as well as the immense growth of his social media following this year. They also chatted about the relationship between the NRL, rugby league journalists and content creators in the fast changing sp...

EPISODE #70: Jean-Claude Bitar (JC), insanely popular content creator & the NRL’s MOST FEARED fan joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss JC getting famously blocked on social media from his own beloved club, the St George Illawarra Dragons, and having his Instagram account reported by the club & shut down! They also chatted the Wests Tigers ‘Khod’ try celebration against the Bull...

EPISODE #69: Haynesy, the popular NRL content creator & vlogger, and Sydney Roosters die hard supporter, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio and opens up in a Speak Free Exclusive about the infamous drama that went down on the Punters & Dribblers Facebook Group last October, and how it affected his personal life, whilst also taking responsibility for his own mistakes he’s made. They also...

EPISODE #68: The Leaguie, NRL content creator and Sydney Roosters fan, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss his journey with content creation, and his point of difference in delivering news and opinion about their beloved game to his audience. They covered topics such as whether it is ethical/legal to have cameras in the change rooms, the role of content creators in advancing all areas...

EPISODE #67: Former NRL player & one of the most influential sports content creators in Australia - the king of the rugby league podcast game, Denan Kemp joins MattyG for this very special episode of Speak Free. Recording from the Bloke Studios, they talked Denan’s incredibly successful media career following his professional footy career and the immense growth of the Bloke In A Bar brand. The...

EPISODE #66: Emilio Da Savage, super popular NRL content creator & passionate Bulldogs diehard joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Emilio’s journey in content creation, as well as the passion he has for the Bulldogs and the culture the fans have created. They also chatted a heap of footy, including who they think is winning the premiership, their State Of Origin predictions, Emili...

EPISODE #65: Hectic Fred, super popular & talented NRL content creator & Bulldogs die-hard joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Fred’s journey in content creation, and how he built his following and community in the rugby league space. They also chatted plenty of footy, including Lachlan Galvin’s move to the Bulldogs & the impact the whole saga has had on the Wests Tigers s...

EPISODE #64: Louisa Hope, the incredibly inspiring Lindt Cafe Siege hostage & survivor, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to tell her story. The Lindt Café Siege was a terrorist attack that unfolded in Sydney’s Martin Place on 15–16 December 2014. Man Haron Monis, an Iranian-born Australian citizen, entered the Lindt Chocolate Café armed with a sawn-off shotgun and claimed to have explosiv...

EPISODE #63: Ryan Flaxman (Flaxxy), super entertaining sports content creator & Penrith Panthers die hard joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Flaxxy's journey in content creation, and his gratitude for the opportunities and experiences it has afforded him, as well as how supportive the NRL content creator community is as a whole and the positive impact it’s had on the greatest gam...

EPISODE #62: Jesse Sene-Lefao, former NRL & Super League player, and co-founder of Talk Your Walk Foundation, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss his rugby league career, playing for Manly Sea Eagles, Cronulla Sharks, and moving over to England to play for the Castleford Tigers, and how the ups and downs of rugby league helped shape him into the man he is today. They also chatted...

EPISODE #61: Harvey & Lachie, the very talented co-hosts from the super entertaining sports podcast, Playing & Simple join MattyG in the Speak Free Studio for this special podcast collab to discuss how they got started in the podcast game, and how that culminated in the birth of Playing & Simple. They then got stuck into some hard hitting rugby league chat, with plenty of topics discus...

EPISODE #60:  Cam & Eli, insanely talented music producers/artists known together as FKD (Fear Kills Dreams) join MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss their journey from how they both individually got started in music, how similar both their life experiences have been and how that helped form their professional relationship and close personal bond to create FKD. They also chatted their e...

EPISODE #59: Zac Swanton, inspirational transformation coach, joins MattyG in the Speak Free Studio to discuss Zac’s journey with turning his life around from drug addiction, to now being sober and in recovery along with getting fit and healthy, and how getting a coach changed his life and why he wants to now give back to others struggling. They also talked Zac's goals and plans with content creat...

EPISODE #58: In Part 2 of this double episode, Retro, from Retro Rugba Leeg continues with MattyG in the Speak Free Studio! They talked Retro’s journey in content creation and the growth of his social media following. They also talked the best jerseys, both new and retro, how some clubs are getting it so right for the fans with their merchandise whilst others continually drop the ball, how NRL jer...