SACKED: AFL

Kevin Sheedy reined over Windy Hill for 27 years. After a clumsy and messy search, the Bombers found a replacement in Matthew Knights. Essendon's new coach wanted to create his own legacy, but did so by pushing out a club great.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There wouldn’t be many more qualified candidates for the final SACKED AFL episode of season six than Scott Cummings. The laconic goal kicker cycled through four clubs in three states across a nine year career that promised a great deal but ended due to injury at the age of just 28. And yet Cummings could really play. He was the leading goal kicker at three of his four clubs and kicked 95 goals to win the Coleman Medal at West Coast in 1999. But it was Collingwood - where he played just five games for six goals in one final AFL season - that set him up for his post footy life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hannah Mouncey shares her experience as a transgender athlete fighting for inclusion in professional sports. Get an inside look at the challenges and discrimination she has faced. Overview:Hannah Mouncey, former Australian men's handball player, opens up about her journey as a transgender athlete. She talks about realizing her gender identity as a child, coming out to her family, and beginning hormone therapy. Mouncey recounts trying out for the AFLW draft and being barred from playing due to concerns over physical advantages. She describes lacking support from sporting organizations and facing restrictions despite lowering testosterone levels. Mouncey shares her perspective on blanket bans against transgender athletes and argues they should be allowed to compete after proper hormone therapy. She emphasises hard work over natural talent and says trans athletes are not successful merely for being trans. Mouncey remains hopeful her advocacy will have a positive impact on trans rights. Timestamps:00:15 - Mouncey shares when she first realized she was transgender10:34 - She describes coming out to her mom and transitioning 18:45 - Mouncey recounts trying out for the AFLW draft32:12 - She argues against blanket bans on trans athletes42:34 - Mouncey talks about continuing to advocate for trans rights Mouncey shares a powerful first-hand account of the challenges facing trans athletes. Tune in to hear her unique perspective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg Williams was one of the greatest AFL players of his time, winning 3 Brownlow Medals and a Norm Smith Medal. But his road to stardom wasn't easy - he was rejected by Carlton twice as a teenager before getting his shot at Geelong. In this episode, Williams takes us through the highs and lows of his incredible career, from his rocky start to premiership glory with Carlton. Get the inside story on Williams' battles with umpires, his thoughts on concussion in the AFL, and find out how a last-minute cash delivery from John Elliott allowed Williams to take the field in round 1, 1992. Williams also shares techniques that helped make him one of the game's best ball-getters and handballers. Key Moments: 2:30 - Getting rejected by Carlton as a teenager 7:20 - Transferring from Geelong to Sydney Swans16:30 - Controversy with umpire John Russo and the Brownlow Medal in 199324:45 - Joining Carlton and run-ins with John Elliott32:20 - Winning the 1995 premiership and Norm Smith medal44:30 - Getting suspended after pushing umpire Andrew Coates56:00 - Battling memory loss from concussions1:05:00 - Williams' kicking tips and techniques Don't miss this chance to go inside the mind of an AFL legend. Listen to the full episode now to hear Diesel's incredible story!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Players - yes, coaches - definitely. But recruiting new high performance managers wouldn’t usually get the fans excited. And yet, when Andrew Russell made the shift from a four-premiership winning stint at Hawthorn to Carlton, it was seen as joining the missing link holding the Blues back. So why, five years later, did the 26 year AFL industry career of Andrew Russell end in disappointment? So, what happened?  Andrew Russell delves into how he feels about his time at the Blues and where the club is headed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheedy, Clarkson, Malthouse, Pagan, Thomas, Frawley, Blight, Bailey, McCartney, Lyon. To close out season 5 of Sacked: AFL, we’ve gone back and delved deeper into the 10 greatest modern coach sackings since 2000. And who better to come on that journey than a pair of esteemed journos who saw it all happen up close, and, at times, were the first to know. Jon ‘Ando’ Anderson was there at some of the most important sporting events for the Herald Sun over the past four decades and is still a key member of the Sunday Herald Sun team with his weekly Ando’s Shout. Bruce ‘Beva’ Eva is a Saints tragic and has seen it all since he began on the Herald sports desk in the late ‘80s and has gone on to Inside Football, SEN and now, 3AW. We share highlights from past episodes across all five seasons of Sacked: AFL.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Drum was a late-bloomer when he was plucked out of bush footy by Geelong at the age of 20 and spent eight frustrating seasons battling to 63 games. And yet, it was only another injury sustained in the 1989 Preliminary Final that denied him the notorious role on Dermott Brereton eventually performed by Mark Yates in the opening moments of the famous 89 Grand Final. Drum would eventually become famous as the last one to know he’d been sacked as Fremantle coach, but that journey got its start in Sydney as an assistant at the Swans, as the right-hand of the man who couldn’t lie, Ron Barassi. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alastair Lynch played over 300 games for Fitzroy, the Brisbane Bears and then the Brisbane Lions in a career that spanned 16 years.It was a career that had incredible highs, devastating lows and one five minute brain fade right at the end.A three time premiership player with the Lions, Lynch spent much of the mid to late 90s in bed with chronic fatigue having previously broken Roys fans hearts by signing a notorious 10 year contract to defect to the Brisbane Bears in 1993.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathan Burke played 323 games with St Kilda across three decades, and took the field with some of the best of the modern era - Lockett, Frawley, Harvey, Winmar, Loewe.He captained the club and played in a heartbreaking Grand Final loss in 1997 but was in teams that finished in the bottom four as much as they spent in contention.And when his playing career was over, it was a seat on the Saints board that brought him back to Moorabbin, and a front row seat to the turmoil that was the end of Ross Lyon’s first tenure as Saints coach.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Roos played 356 AFL games for Fitzroy and Sydney as well as many in the Big V for Victoria across 17 years as a player. And as a coach he delivered the Swans a 72 year drought-breaking premiership in 2005 and was instrumental in the rebuild of Melbourne that ultimately culminated in the 2021 flag. In this episode, Roos details his journey from Fitzroy to the Swans and Ralphy’s part in his announcement as saviour of the Demons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Jewell commenced his senior football career with Oakleigh, in 1963. He tried out with St Kilda but failed to impress and was turned away. Richmond, however, decided to take a punt on him and he went on to give them good service, mainly as a half back flanker or back pocket, in 80 VFL games between 1964 and 1970. After a two-year stint as coach of the Richmond reserves, which included overseeing a flag in 1977, he took over as senior coach of the Tigers in 1979. A year later he led them to an emphatic 81-point grand final defeat of Collingwood. Just one season later, however, Jewell was sacked with Francis Bourke being installed as coach in his place. Jewell later had unsuccessful stints as coach of St Kilda (1983-4) and Richmond once more (1986-7).In this episode Jewell opens up about his brutal sacking at Richmond, recruiting Tony Lockett to St Kilda and how he almost became coach of Collingwood instead of Leigh Matthews.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore Tony Cochrane. As Chairman of the Board Tony Cochrane is best known in his role as boss of the Gold Coast Suns. A successful businessman who didn't bother to finish school, Cochrane has been involved in event promotion since the 1970s, and has promoted or produced tours for several international and local artists. In March 2014, Cochrane joined the board of the struggling Gold Coast Suns, and then became chairman in March 2016 In this episode Cochrane explains how he came to befriend Frank Sinatra and bring him out to Australia, he opens up on the sackings of Guy Mckenna and Rodney Eade, his aim to turn the Gold Coast Suns into a finals contender and why he thinks a 19th franchise in the AFL won't work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trent Croad had an almost immediate impact when he was recruited to Hawthorn in 1998. At the end of 2001, Hawthorn would shock the football world, trading Croad who was then 21 and one of the Hawk's blue chip youngsters to Fremantle for the number 1 pick which would eventually secure Luke Hodge.  After two years at Fremantle, Croad became the Prodigal son of Hawthorn, returning to Glenferrie Oval.  In this episode Croad opens up about the biggest trade shock in AFL history played out between Hawthorn and Fremantle, the creation of Clarko's cluster and the pain of his career ending injury.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.