Advertise on podcast: Sport & Life with Sam Kekovich and Leon Wiegard

Fifty years after one of the great Caulfield Cup victories, Alan Johnson joins Sport and Life to relive the story of How Now, the mare that captured racing hearts with her famous 1976 triumph. From jockey John Stocker's legendary ride to the unforgettable celebrations that followed, Alan shares a remarkable first-hand account of a golden era in Australian racing.  The conversation delves into the glory days of the Old Melbourne Hotel, the influence of the Hayes family and Colin Hayes, stories from Lindsay Park, and the characters who helped shape racing history. Along the way, Sam, Leon and Alan take listeners on a nostalgic journey packed with laughs, memories and incredible tales from a bygone age.  A must-listen for racing fans and lovers of sporting history, celebrating 50 years since How Now's unforgettable Caulfield Cup win.

Legendary trainer David Hayes joins Sport and Life to discuss life at the top of world racing as the man behind the world's highest-rated horse. Hayes shares insights into elite horsemanship, the Everest, and what it takes to consistently compete at the highest level of the sport. Before that, Sam finally gets his chance to settle the score with Leon over last week's infamous "Get a Life" comment, leading to a classic Sporting Life exchange. The boys also tackle the AFL's latest drugs controversy, debate accountability in professional sport, check in on Australia's Test cricket campaign in South Africa, and preview a huge week of spring racing, including Leon's hopes with roughie New Found Land.

Leon and Dan are joined by former Collingwood AFL player Isaac Chugg for a fascinating conversation that goes beyond football. Isaac shares his journey from growing up in Longford, Tasmania, to being drafted by Collingwood, making his AFL debut at the MCG, and navigating the challenges of life as a young player during the Covid era. He opens up about homesickness, the pressures of professional football, being delisted, and the identity challenges many athletes face when their sporting dream comes to an end. Now working in athlete wellbeing with Liminal Wellbeing and the AFL-backed Movember Ahead of the Game program, Isaac explains how clubs are helping young athletes build resilience, support their mates, and better manage their mental health. The discussion also explores gambling, player development, life after football, and why wellbeing and performance go hand in hand. It's an honest, insightful and important conversation about the human side of sport and the support systems helping shape the next generation of athletes.

The boys unpack one of the wildest Grand Finals in recent memory, including Brisbane's astonishing comeback, Fremantle's heartbreak and the controversial Norm Smith Medal debate. Leon relives an unforgettable week of Fitzroy celebrations, emotional reunions and a standing ovation worthy of football royalty. Plus stories from the Vingt Cinq luncheon, legendary characters of the game, Chris Fagan's future and why some Freo supporters may never recover.

Sam and Leon sit down with Sydney Swans great Jude Bolton for a sharp, funny and heartfelt chat about one of the most chaotic weeks in footy. From Sam’s svelte‑body Vinnies wardrobe saga to North Melbourne’s meltdown, Brisbane’s resilience and the Swans’ powerful response, Jude brings trademark Bloods insight, honesty and class. A tight, punchy episode full of culture, humour and real emotion.

A cracking first‑day‑of‑spring episode as Sam and Leon fire up after a short break — and immediately dive into a full‑blown stoush over the AFL’s wildcard round. Sam rails against “everyone gets a prize” footy while Leon backs the entertainment value and Carlton’s fairytale run. The boys trade blows, banter and philosophy on what the game should be. Then the show shifts into a brilliant long‑form chat with South Melbourne and Sydney Swans great Ricky Quade, who walks through the chaos, trauma and eventual triumph of the Swans’ relocation. Ricky shares vivid memories of black banners, strained friendships, players losing homes, training on cricket outfields, and the extraordinary figures — Craig Kimberley, Richard Colless, Basil Sellers — who kept the club alive. He also reflects on his family’s remarkable Riverina upbringing, boarding school life, and the tribal days at the George Hotel. A rich, nostalgic, funny and emotional episode that captures the soul of footy, the fight for survival, and the characters who shaped an era.

Carlton premiership player Adrian Gleeson jumps into Sport and Life for a cracking chat about the old-school Blues culture, the larger‑than‑life reign of Jack Elliott, Dick Pratt’s influence, overseas trips, premiership memories, and the deep relationships that outlast any footy career. From Fitzroy near‑misses to modern‑day Carlton’s resurgence, Gleeso reflects on leadership, identity, transition, and why the club’s heartbeat has always been its people. A warm, funny, insightful look at an era of football that shaped generations.

This week’s episode is peak Sport and Life chaos: Leon mourns a horror weekend as Stern Idol runs his last race and the Lions get belted, while Carlton suddenly look like a finals smokey. Sam fires up at jumps-racing protesters, the boys relive the million‑dollar career of their beloved jumper, and Racing.com producers learn—again—why you never put Sam live without a script. We dive into Australia’s 70‑gold Commonwealth Games blitz, debate whether it means anything for Olympic glory, and torch the Andrews Government for binning the regional Games that could’ve lit up Ballarat, Bendigo and beyond. Then it gets gloriously rogue: Elvis, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Lance Armstrong, Mark Spitz, Greg Louganis—who would be the ultimate Sport & Life dinner guest? A wild, funny, passionate episode blending footy, racing, politics, nostalgia and rock ’n’ roll. Classic Sport and Life energy.

A tight, lively chat with AFL great Guy “Bluey” McKenna, covering his Gold Coast coaching rise, the shock sacking, his famous last kick in hail, the blood rule, the headcount, and life inside two Eagles premierships, plus the usual Sport & Life chaos on footy, form, and over‑officiated goal reviews.

A fast, funny, and brutally honest sprint through the life of John‑Michael Howson—journalist, children’s TV pioneer, hit musical writer and long‑time Hollywood correspondent. From Magic Circle Club and Adventure Island to 23 Oscars, Bond junkets, Debbie Reynolds, Gene Wilder and Dustin Hoffman, Howson riffs on fame, faith, controversy and why today’s “influencers” don’t measure up to the old‑school stars.

Sam Kekovich and Leon Weigard sit down with Australia’s only true Top Gun, Matt Hall, for a wild, funny and genuinely jaw‑dropping conversation. After Sam’s chaotic week battling Telstra outages and conspiracy theories, the boys dive into Matt’s extraordinary life: from gliding at 14, to becoming the highest‑scoring pilot in RAAF history, to flying F‑15s in combat over Iraq, dodging missiles by centimetres, and eventually becoming a world champion in the Red Bull Air Race. Matt explains supersonic flight, G‑forces, near‑death moments, politics inside Defence, the reality behind Top Gun movies, and why he walked away from a guaranteed military career to chase adrenaline around pylons at 400km/h. He also shares stories from joy‑flights, racing bikes at Phillip Island, and the insane precision required to fly at 2,500km/h. A gripping, hilarious, and deeply human chat with one of Australia’s most elite aviators — plus Sam’s usual detours into submarines, phone boxes, and Gerry Ryan’s wine.

Former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu joins Sport & Life for a wide‑ranging, deeply human conversation that swings from wild family history to the hard truths of modern politics. Ted unpacks the extraordinary tale of his ancestor swimming across the Heads in the 1860s, the sprawling Baillieu–Knox family tree, his own sporting journey through rugby and footy, and the brutal hit that ended his playing days. From there, Ted shifts gears into the big stuff: how he entered politics, the battles behind the NDIS, the realities of governing Victoria, and why he believes the state has drifted dangerously off course. It’s candid, sharp, funny, and full of the kind of lived experience you only get from someone who’s been in the arena. A genuine voice of balance, history and perspective — and one hell of a storyteller.

A bruising, brilliant episode of Sport and Life with Sam and Leon, featuring Fitzroy cult hero Mick “The Sherman Tank” Conlan. The boys kick off with the explosive Four Corners concussion special, unpacking the future of tackling, the legal minefield ahead for footy, and the knife‑edge reality facing AFL and rugby league. Then Mick steps into the studio and the whole tone shifts — stories of Tasmania, Canberra, his father’s legacy, the brutal Fitzroy training regimes, the famous 1986 elimination final goal, and the unlikely pathway that took him from a tradie to a global sporting‑goods executive working across Asia and Africa. It’s tough, funny, honest, and full of the trademark Sam‑and‑Leon chaos. A genuine time capsule of footy culture, concussion fears, and one of the game’s most beloved wrecking balls reflecting on life after the roar of the crowd.

In this episode of Sport & Life, Sam, Leon and Dan sit down with one of the most influential voices in Australian football journalism — Mike Sheahan. From the early days at Newsday and The Mercury to becoming the face of footy analysis on TV and radio, Mike opens up on the stories that shaped his career, the controversies that followed him, and the characters who left a mark along the way. He reflects on the long‑running tension with Fitzroy supporters — “you… had the view that I was trying to run Fitzroy out of the competition” — and how time eventually softened old rivalries. Mike also revisits the biggest scoops of his career, including the seismic moment he broke the news that “Kelvin Templeton and Peter Moore… were both captains of their own clubs… for a sale for a million bucks” . From State of Origin nostalgia to the evolution of AFL media, from Tony Modra’s brilliance to the rise of opinion‑driven commentary, this is Mike Sheahan in full — sharp, honest, reflective, and still deeply in love with the game inside the fence.

Sam and Leon sit down with the one‑and‑only Rex Hunt for a fast, funny and razor‑sharp sprint through his life in footy, policing, fishing and broadcasting. Rex reflects on Richmond’s rise, his leap from the force to TV, the birth of his iconic commentary style, global fishing adventures, and the characters who shaped his career. A tight, energetic hit of stories, laughs and pure Rex.