The David Mead Podcast

Mel was born and raised in Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Moved to Australia for educational opportunities at 14. She started her rugby journey with University of Queensland when a friend dragged her along to sign up. After three seasons of playing rugby union, a coach told her that she had the potential to play for Queensland. Two years in a row of knee injuries wasn’t going to stop her playing the sport she loved. She currently plays for the Melbourne Rebels Womens team. She is also a diehard NSW Origin fan. We chat plenty more on never giving up, having resilience especially in tough times and what living in France was like. Follow Mel on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniekawa/ About David Mead: David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter is the Directing Manager of Ecoflo Wastewater Management. He spent the early years of his upbringing in Lae, Papua New Guinea before moving to a boarding school in Australia during his teens. There are a lot of great tips and advice given by Peter to help young people aspire to be better versions of themselves at home and it the workplace. We talk about his daily routines and how that helps to manage himself and his work. We compare the lifestyle changes that have happened in PNG over the course of a few decades, the young talent there that needs help, how composting can greatly benefit the environment and much more. Connect with Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-vollert-6866032a EcoFlo WasteWater Management is a manufacturer and retailer of domestic and commercial waterless composting toilets that are environmentally smart and cost-effective. https://www.ecoflo.com.au/about-us About David Mead: David Mead has played professional rugby league for over 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use the insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Unfortunately over the years birth has become so medicalised. Birth is not a medical event. It can become a medical event. When it does, we have all the help in the world.” Seeing crap or misinformation around birthing was a huge motivation for Melissa to take on the role as a clinical hypnotherapist. This gave her the ability to help people feel empowered throughout the birthing process. We had four sessions with Melissa in the lead up to our firstborn and the process was incredible. I felt calm from the moment my wife started to feel the “surges” (contractions) to the moment our son was born. My wife Taneal couldn’t speak highly enough of the classes we had with Melissa. The tools we were given have helped us in different areas of our life. A lot of the mental applications that Melissa talks about are relatable to me because it applies in the sporting world - how to deal with pain, visualization, meditation, belief, trusting yourself. All are key in helping you perform at your best. We chat: Clinical hypnotherapy - focused attention and mindfulness has a great ability to help the birthing process. How she used visualization to help her get appearances with major media outlets throughout Australia - Sunrise, Today Show and many others. Hypnosis for dealing with pain - especially while birthing. Your subconscious beliefs control your behaviour, which controls your motivation which becomes your reality. Using self-hypnosis leading up to major events. Vision boards to help you get what you want. Ways to improve your study time and how to retain more information. Getting a hold of your flight or fight response. You have to see it, hear it, say it and feel it consistently over a long period of time for it to come true - whatever that dream may be. Your mind is like a computer. You need to shut it down every night completely so it can have a full rest. Watching negativity, the news etc, before sleep will keep the computer on all night which results in overheating and stress. To get in touch with Melissa visit: https://www.facebook.com/hypnobirthingaustralia https://hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au “The Hypnobirthing Australia program is uniquely designed for Australian mothers and their birthing partners. Hypnobirthing Australia classes prepare you with the knowledge, confidence and tools you need to birth calmly. Birth can, and should be a positive experience - one that you will always want to remember.” About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He Lived his early days in Alotau, a beautiful part of PNG. Fishing, gardening, fun and relaxed lifestyle in the village bring back plenty of great memories. Parents owned a successful fish and chips shop. The arcade games in the shop made the upbringing much better. Tom is currently the General Manager at BallyCara retirement village, Redcliffe. We chat about what it’s like working amongst seniors, the experiences and lessons he learns on a daily basis. Respect, Trust and Listening are key to living a fulfilled life. He played rugby league for over 10 years in the Queensland Cup competition. The great things rugby league has taught him that he uses in his work and home life. How he was able to juggle working fulltime and playing in the Qld Cup. We speak about some of the difficult things that players who work fulltime and play rugby league face. Enjoy :) Connect with Tommy on Instagram: @tommymanixbutterfield About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is one of the most important conversations I have had since I started the podcast. It goes straight to my heart. To the place that life started for me and where I want to help improve the most. Lucy was born and lived in a village with no running water or electricity - Hula, Central Province Papua New Guinea. During her early days in Port Moresby her family lived amongst rascals and having to fight them off was a regular occurrence. She decided to move from Port Moresby to Melbourne for better opportunities. After several different careers she wasn’t fulfilled. Shedecided to pursue her passion which was to establish a Foundation, inspired by her late brother Peter Nathan Loko. She is currently in the process of building classrooms in her village Lese Oalai, Gulf Province PNG. I wanted to learn more about the process, the challenges to expect and the joys of completing this type of project. Getting people in the village to come together is key. Putting their children’s future needs to be their first goal. She wants the people to use this as their motivation to volunteer and to do good work. Changing the mindset of the people in the village will be one of the challenges. Long-term thinking will help the community grow in a positive way. Education will take a long time but it is necessary for positive change. She is a member of the Rotary Club. She speaks about the good work that is being done. It is an organisation that instills peace and goodwill. They unite people, organisations and communities to do projects together and more. We chat about the importance of volunteers in the community. You must get involved and help out. Do not expect anything in return. The return will be seen in years to come when the impact on our children’s lives are positive. It has a ripple effect. About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Lakisa “Pacific Contribution Matters.” Born in New Zealand, Former PE teacher. PHD in Pacific Sport and Diversity Management. Masters in International Sports Management. Bachelor of Education. First ever Pacific Islander Wellbeing Officer at NSWRL in 2007. The game noticed a huge level of participation from junior level right through to NRL. How to connect to this demographic. What to do about it? Dave puts some light on this. The Four Key Elements to help organisations understand Pacific Islanders better. “Everyone wants to be validated.” If organisations can do this then they will find that productivity increases, preparedness and trust is built. "Island Time" - when it's good to be in this mode and when it's not. If you’re an organisation with Pacific Islander employees and want to understand them better, Dave can help you with this process. How to get in contact. https://talanoaconsultancy.com.au info@talanoaconsultancy.com.au About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Played over 300 professional rugby league games. Two Super League premiership titles. Athlete Wellbeing Manager at Marsden State High School. Some of the challenges the youths are facing in school. Growing up in Western Sydney. It’s hard being away from family - the importance of their support. Being disciplined - especially with food.Never the best player. Just did his job the best he could.Having a clear mind about “making it”. Still realising there is a long way ahead. Serving your apprenticeship at a young age will set you up. Preparation is key. You must have tough conversations. If you want to be a leader you must have tough conversations with your teammates. Be willing to work just as hard. Instagram: @zebbyt About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand. She was born with moebius syndrome which affects one in three million people. Endured years of bullying in school because of how she looked. Six attempts to take her own life. Lied to parents about the bullying so they wouldn’t get upset. Her advice to bully victims: “Talk to someone you trust and over communicate your feelings. You can’t deal with negativity all on your own.” Age 15: Diagnosed with Extreme Clinical Depression, PTSD, experienced 89- seizures/day. The meaning you give your experiences can break you or empower you. She chooses the latter. That’s how she has come out of being a depressed teenager into a powerful individual. Like everyone she still has the hard days but has found tools and ways to help her deal with her day to day problems. Tayla’s passion is sharing her story to inspire people. She loves to help people feel happy. After the interview I was truly inspired by her story and attitude. Connect with Tayla and connect with her on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylaclement/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early Days at the Gold Coast Titans. The hardest part of professional rugby league. Taking the footy mentality and applying it to other parts of life. Rollerblading in Miami and Burleigh. Enlightening the world by being your weird self. A transition from professional rugby league to interest in acting. Being told by a nurse “There goes your acting career” was an inspiration to take on the acting. After performing his first monologue and earning a scholarship to go to America he felt a new world open up. “It was one of the scariest things I've ever done - auditioning.” “When something scares you it has power over you. Once you do it it feels like you are free and can do more with your life. That’s the lesson I got from it.” Kevin Gordon On producing music - doing a live show is the big goal. The road to the art world isn’t as straightforward as playing professional rugby league. In league there is a plan and if you follow it you have a chance of making it. It’s different in the artworld - you doing your own thing. Kev’s new album is out on all platforms now. The Deepening. “It’s about expressing yourself more in a deep way.” I purchased the album through Itunes after this conversation. I tried to pay close attention to the lyrics. A lot of it was freaking hilarious! There are a few songs you hear and think “these are pretty full on”. That is his goal - to make people think more about what’s happening around the world, especially with the mainstream media’s delivery of “news.” It is $12 on Itunes and although I thought at first I would purchase it just to support a friend but after listening I actually enjoyed the music and highly recommend it. Connect with Kev and follow him on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepgordon/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hanan Laban is the current CEO of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup rugby league competition. We speak about the upbringing he had with his Samoan family, the hard work his grandparents did that laid a good platform to help him and his family to be able to get their education, the skills that were transferable from the banking industry to CEO as Wynnum Manly Seagulls, having structure in the morning is important to a good start, especially with kids, how a local village in the Pacific can build a good and strong rugby league club, what young athletes need to do to make sure their finances are in order as well as the leadership style that helps guide his decisions. Hope you enjoy it. Hanan is a supporter of the Men Of League Foundation: https://menofleague.com Teamwork and mateship have been the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. Whether you are an ex-player, an administrator, referee, or club volunteer; whether you are a man, woman or child, Men of League Foundation protects and enhances lives while respecting each individual’s dignity. The vision was to build a foundation that provided practical assistance and social support, and this vision has been realised. Connect with Hanan on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanan-laban-82584955/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Donaghy - CEO of Brisbane Broncos It’s been a challenging year in the role as the CEO for the Brisbane Broncos and also a terrific year in terms of business. There is a golden decade for Brisbane with the Olympics to be hosted here so there is plenty of excitement and big goals are set in place. There is an agenda in place and it’s up to the club to execute the plan. I asked Dave what type of questions are normally in place when setting a vision for the club. Why did I do this? I want my village in Tubusereia and other local league clubs in Papua New Guinea to see how one of the biggest sporting organisations in Australia set their visions. A vision is one of the most important things for an individual or group. Here were some of his key questions. “What do we need to start doing? What do we need to stop doing? What do we need to keep doing?” “The staff have been here longer than I have so I need to listen to their input.” “What’s worked? What hasn’t worked? Have things not worked because the timing wasn’t right?”. It may be so simple but very few people execute what they say. We chat about procrastination, productivity, focus and some of Dave’s experiences from his early days at Melbourne Storm to the Brisbane Broncos. The charity that Dave supports is the Carl Webb Foundation: https://www.carlwebbfoundation.org Carl Webb Foundation Former Australian rugby league international Carl Webb was noted as a straight shooter during his celebrated career. Webb announced earlier this year he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, a rare condition attacking the nerve cells which control breathing, moving, swallowing and speaking.Carl Webb played professional rugby league from 2000 - 2011. He was one of my favourite players to watch and someone I didn’t want to run at. At the young age of 39 Carl is fighting against a disease which has no known cure. I have also seen the effects on my former teammate Tu’u Maori who I played with in the 2008 world cup for PNG. Rob Burrow from England is also a well known advocate for the research into helping find a cure for this disease. If you or your friends and family can help to donate and help this cause in any way it would be greatly appreciated by many. Connect with Dave and follow him on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-donaghy-03795736/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan Riki - born in Raglan, New Zealand and moved away from home at the young age of 17 to pursue his NRL dreams. Raised in a Māori culture with plenty of leadership around him meant that he had good guidance when he was back home. When he moved to Australia to chase a career in the NRL that guidance was missing from his life. It nearly cost him a chance to continue to work hard for his dream. Luckily for Jordan the club's mentoring program and the people there were able to help him to stay on track and they helped him achieve one of his goals - to play in the top grade. We chat about his upbringing in New Zealand, some of the challenges he faced when he first moved to Australia away from his family, what he does well when he is feeling at his best and much more. It was a fun, casual conversation with some valuable insights. I had a great time chatting with Jordy. I hope you enjoy it too. Connect with Jordan and follow him on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanriki/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Ikin is the Head of Football at the Brisbane Broncos, which is one of the largest sporting organisations in Australia. He was a Gold Coast local who enjoyed his upbringing with his family. Growing up in a family with different professions consisting of rugby league, music and dance always provided good conversations at the dinner table amongst the family. He tells a funny story about his selection into the origin arena for the first time. Having played only a few first grade games before his selection in the qld side, the coach (Paul Vautin) didn’t know what he looked like when he first met him so their first encounter was an interesting one. Ben had success during his rugby league career and is still the youngest ever player to play state of origin. Having achieved the highest level in sports and then what seems to me to be a successful transition into the workforce, I wanted to find out how that transition was for him. He gives plenty of practical advice and tips on how to make that transition a good one. A key point I took away from the podcast was to sit down and to write your thoughts and feelings on a particular topic. This was a daily process for him during his 10 year career with the NRL 360 show and gives credit to that skill for the company wanting to keep him around. He emphasises that writing is a good way to form and to articulate your message across an audience. One of the best quotes I got out of the podcast was: “I have not so much fallen in love with what I do, but I have fallen in love with doing the job well. So then people will want to keep me around”. Ben is a supporter of two great charities. For those who can help out the descriptions and links are below: https://menofleague.com Teamwork and mateship have been the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. Whether you are an ex-player, an administrator, referee, or club volunteer; whether you are a man, woman or child, Men of League Foundation protects and enhances lives while respecting each individual’s dignity. The vision was to build a foundation that provided practical assistance and social support, and this vision has been realised. https://www.pcsrf.org.au Finding a Cure for ParalysisEvery day in Australia at least one person has their life changed forever through the tragedy of paralysis. It’s devastating, heart-breaking and the simplest of daily tasks suddenly becomes an overwhelming challenge – for life. The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation was born to challenge that life-long sentence and challenge the science and medical industries to find a cure for paralysis. In recent years, it has embarked on unveiling one of the world’s most promising hopes of a cure – and it’s being progressed in Australia. A cure of this magnitude doesn’t lay in the hands of one person, it requires a united and multi-faceted model that collectively brings world-class leaders from an array of professions together – to get the ‘job done’. Founded by Perry Cross, the PCSRF aims to facilitate, collaborate and initiate the connections and research required to find a cure for paralysis. About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Rugby League is a team sport and it’s not about one person.” Marcus Bai Marcus Bai is one of the few people who has won a NRL premiership, a Super League Title and a World Club Challenge. The only trophy he has missed out on at the top level is the Challenge Cup, which is played in the English competition. His willingness to speak to anyone is a characteristic I have observed over a decade and I have tried to emulate that. I wanted to know more about how he developed the confidence to talk to anyone because I wanted to be able to do that as well. When he first moved to Australia it was tough because he couldn’t speak English well and that meant he had little confidence to speak out in a team environment. In 1998 that all changed with the culture that Melbourne Storm was building. The team with which he won his first premiership. It was teammate Tawera Nikau who sparked his confidence to build in speaking up in team meetings. We speak about his upbringing with his family. How rugby league players can play a huge impact in creating positive change for Papua New Guineans and in the Pacific. How the Melbourne Storm implemented the systems and structures in the early days and where those structures came from. I hope you enjoy listening to Marcus’ stories as much as I did. About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albert Kelly - One of the most talented rugby league players I’ve played with and against. But what I’ve seen is the hard work he puts in behind the scenes that gives him an opportunity to display and maximise that talent. Albert spoke about how his cousins helped him gain many of the skills he has today and how grateful he is of that, what winning a challenge cup in the super league, U.K feels like. He talks about the uncertainty of your future in playing the game and how it can take its toll and how to overcome these thoughts and to keep moving forward. We also explored what life was like growing up in Macksville/Kempsey, NSW, with his younger brother and how hard his grandparents worked to put him and his brother in school and sporting events, how more work needs to be done to protect sacred sites of this land and the importance of doing extra training to play at a higher level. What his self-talk is like leading up to a game and his pre game ritual. I found this very interesting. Enjoy. Connect with Albert and follow him on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a1bey/ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Glenn - Played 285 professional rugby league games at one club - a rare achievement, 12 international games for New Zealand, two with Cook Islands, the thought process of an elite athlete, resilience in overcoming injuries, social media - the good and bad, humble upbringing, parenting, captaining one of the biggest sporting organisations in Australia. After speaking with Alex last week I got to hear how he made that many games possible. Playing and training at the top level takes a lot of commitment, focus and resilience. You will hear about his thought process during the early days and especially how he overcame the injuries to keep playing. His upbringing in Beach Haven, New Zealand is an inspiring one. Living with several families under one roof is a common thing in the Pacific Island culture and he experienced that before the move to Australia. Three days before his final game he picked up a calf strain at training (the day the podcast was recorded). He went on and played the full 80 minutes and made a try saving tackle in the very last play. The example he has set for many young kids is a great one. Hope you enjoy it. LIVIN is an organisation close to Alex’s heart. #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK LIVIN is a non-profit mental health organisation that was founded in 2013 in loving memory of our friend and a great man, Dwayne Lally. Dwayne took his life after living in silence with a mental illness. Like a lot of people, Dwayne lived in silence because of the stigma that surrounds mental health and he didn’t know how to ask for help. Everything we do is about empowering people to speak up because It Ain’t Weak To Speak®. We want to be proactive in combating mental Illness, through championing mental health; encouraging preventative action and help seeking before things become unmanageable. 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness each year. Many suffer in silence due to the stigma and lack of education around mental health. LIVIN is helping change this. Each flag represents where we have delivered our LIVINWell In School program. Help us fill the map and spread the word that “It ain’t weak to speak”. https://www.livin.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItfKUq9b18gIVr5lmAh0z5Q0aEAAYASAAEgJK8fD_BwE Connect with Alex and follow him on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexglenn__/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexglenn___ About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xavier Coates is a professional rugby league player. He is also a great friend whom I’ve had the pleasure getting to know over the past year. At just the young age of 20 years he has already played at one of (if not) the highest possible arena of rugby league - State of Origin. He is a proud Papua New Guinean and Australian who attributes much of his achievements to his parents and the people he has grown up around. Being challenged by his siblings in the backyard at a young age gave him the competitive drive he has today. We talk about how he felt when making his debut for The Kumuls, Broncos, Qld Maroons, online bullying - how he deals with it, importance of recovery and much more. Instagram: @xaviercoates About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rhyse Martin is a current professional rugby league player in the U.K playing for The Leeds Rhinos. He has played for his national side the PNG Kumuls on 11 occasions since 2014 when he made his debut. We chat about the ups and downs of playing professional rugby league, his humble upbringing in Australia, what it felt like to put on the NRL jersey and what he wishes he did as a younger player when he first entered into the NRL system - being more aggressive and less timid around his senior and respected teammates. This is something I love seeing - when a young player comes into the training environment, shows no fear and gives everything. We shine some light on this and some mental challenges during the chat. Enjoy. Instagram: @rhysemartin About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elsie Albert represents The Orchids, Papua New Guinea's national women’s team in rugby league and she has just signed with St George Dragons as the first homegrown Papua New Guinean. She was brought up in a Christian family and believes this helped her progress through school and in her rugby league career thus far. We talk about her story, the challenges women face playing rugby league in PNG, training in the hallway of her dormitory, how she didn't tell her parents she was playing for The Orchids until her father saw on on the front page of the paper much more. Please enjoy. Instagram: @elsiealbert96 About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Genia played for the Wallabies (2009-2019) in 110 tests, Queensland Reds (2007-2015), Melbourne Rebels (2018-2019), Stade Francais (2015-2017) and currently Kintetsu Liners in Japan. We talk about his upbringing in Papua New Guinea, moving away from his family at the age of 12 from PNG to Australia to attend boarding school in Brisbane, the challenges in his life and how he overcame them, the key difference between players who play test level vs super rugby, what helped him to make it to the top level and stay there for so long and much much more. I’ve listened to this episode several times because I enjoyed the lessons that Will shared. Will's Instagram: @willgenia About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Walsh is a former SAS (Special Air Service) soldier and is currently the Welfare Officer at the Brisbane Broncos. When asked what his role involves - “I’ve worked in elite teams in the SAS where everyone is alpha males and raw killers. I’ve also worked with elite athletes where there are alpha males in a gladiator type of sport. Everyday in the SAS or in the NRL I see the guys walk in through the door and they put a mask on. It’s my job to tear that mask off.” Throughout the conversation I wanted to know the most important lessons he learnt while in the defence force. He said “the one percenters mean everything. It’s the difference between those who are good and those who are great.” This episode is packed with plenty of great insights, lessons and messages. We speak about domestic violence, which is something we both witnessed as kids growing up, online bullying/trolling, how understanding and awareness on these issues is the way forward. I certainly gained a lot from this episode and I hope you do too. Instagram: @adam_walsh09 About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Johnston is a professional rugby league player in Australia. In his first year of playing NRL he achieved something many players wish to do over their careers - winning a premiership. To date he has scored 130 tries in 160 games. To those who don’t understand rugby league, that is a ridiculously rare strike rate. He has also represented Australia and Papua New Guinea at international level. We speak about more than his achievements during this interview. I wanted to find out the person behind the player and I learnt a lot about what makes Alex tick. His competitiveness at an early age set him up for a career in the top grade. It wasn’t easy though. He believes in hard work, doing extra training, focusing on your studies and much more. This was a great conversation. Hope you enjoy it. Connect with Alex: Instagram: @alexjohnston95 https://www.instagram.com/alexjohnston95/ Swysh: https://heyswysh.com/collections/rugby-league/products/alex-johnston About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Aiton played professional rugby league in Australia, England and in France. He played in the NRL and Super League for a combined 253 games over 13 years. He also represented his country’s national side Papua New Guinea Kumuls 16 times during this period. This was something he dreamt of doing since he was a kid. I met Paul for the first time in 2008 when we represented the Kumuls in the Rugby League World Cup. He has been a great friend ever since. While playing 13 years at the highest level, Paul learnt many lessons from which he continues to pass on to younger generations. He is currently an assistant coach for PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup. In this conversation Paul divulges that he wishes he "studied the game more”. This would’ve helped him grow as a player and then transition into the coaching role with better skills, a great piece of advice for young athletes coming through the ranks. Something he believes that did help him was goal setting. We are both big believers in this. Paul shares moments of his upbringing in Mount Hagen, PNG and his early memories of Australia - some of which gave me plenty of laughter. I enjoyed and learnt a lot from Paul during this chat. I hope you enjoy it too. Connect with Paul: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.aiton.54 Instagram: @paul_aiton - https://www.instagram.com/paul_aiton/ Aiton Fat Bikes: http://aitonfatbikes.com.au My wife and I bought two bikes from Paul and we have loved them ever since. They made our experience in France much more enjoyable. We would go for long bike rides through the french villages without our legs getting tired (electric versions). They are comfortable and easy to assemble so we are able to put them in the back of the car when we want to take them with us for weekends away. About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Olam is a professional rugby league player in Australia and has represented his country’s national team the PNG Kumuls on several occasions. One of his proudest moments in sport was winning the NRL premiership in 2020. It was a moment that “didn’t feel real” and it took him a while to believe. Putting his home country’s jersey on for the first time was up there as one of his proudest and favourite moments too. Justin’s early upbringing in Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea, is an interesting one. He credits the success he has to his mother. She was the person who helped him to stay focused on his studies. She always made sure that his responsibilities of chopping firewood and carrying water from the river were done so his family could prepare their meals. After his responsibilities were done he could then take time to play. He believes this example of his upbringing is what gave him a good start to be successful in life. Justin is a huge believer in education and encourages the youth in Papua New Guinea to take their studies seriously so that they can have a better chance at living a successful life. Instagram: @jay_blockz_dkb Rainbow Project - Port Moresby: https://chuffed.org/project/rainbow-project-port-moresby About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I speak with current and former athletes about what makes them tick, their life stories, the challenges they faced and most importantly how they overcame them to get to where they are now. Each episode will bring you closer to these peoples stories, offer inspiration and real world tips to become your best. About David Mead David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. Connect with David and follow him on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/ Website: www.davidmead.com.au Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.