The Forward Line

28 | TFL TACKLES Tokyo 2020 & the Twisties

Hello & Happy Thursday! Can you believe we are in mid-August!? Sending especially good vibes to all our Aussie listeners who are currently in lockdown.

On today's episode, we start with a deep dive on the GOAT or as some of you may know her, Simone Biles. We discuss mental health in Sport following her very brave withdrawal from 5/6 of her Artistic Gymnastic Finals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Then, if you are anything like us you may also be feeling a little post-Tokyo despair BUT do not worry... we have your back. Join us for a conversation on our favourite medal moments, the stories that broke our hearts & the athletes who best encapsulated the Olympic Spirit.

We also have a surprise new ‘Seasonal Host’ to introduce to you. Watch out for her 'G'day'.  

Lastly, we recommended you read Sally Jenkins article on Simone Biles in The Washington Post, and listen to the 'Story of Simone Biles' by The Daily Podcast.

We'll see you soon guys!

*TFL Media is an independent organisation run entirely by young women. Our creative artwork is designed and produced by Molly Mathews.  

27 | TFL TALKS to Riley Wolff

Helloooooooo & Happy Thursday! It's finally time. We are back for Season Two.

If you're an old listener, welcome back, thank you for your patience. If you're a new listener, welcome too! It's lovely to have you here.

Today we sit down with Riley Wolff.

Riley is a digital creator who founded the international running blog, 'Tempo Journal' - though Tempo is SO much more than just a blog. But before he was shooting for Nike New York, Riley was a self-proclaimed rascal.

Today, he takes us back to the beginning at Uni and through his early career path working at Adidas and MAAP. We talk founding Tempo, international success and his other baby, Hunter Athletics. 

Riley has also just written a book. It is called A Lifetime For A Moment: Brett Robinson's Marathon Journey. It's currently available for pre-order with the Ballarat Running Company so go, go, go & get your hands on it.

Thanks team, we hope you enjoy the show! 

26 | TFL TALKS to Jo Weston

Hello & Happy Thursday!

On today’s Episode we are sitting down with an incredible woman who needs little introduction – beloved Netballer, Jo Weston.

Jo's a renowned Melbourne Vixens and Australian Diamonds player, often adorning the Goal Defence bib on court. In the midst of her seventh season, she has an impressive list of accolades including as the recipient of numerous awards with the Vixens and a Diamonds squad member at both the 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 World Cup.

Off the court, Jo is a hard-working student at Deakin University, currently completing her Masters. She is also on numerous Boards and continues to use her platform to advocate for player rights and social change.

It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Jo and hear about her intelligent and fun insights into life on & off the court. We hope you enjoy the show!

25 | TFL TACKLES the Pink Mercedes, Free the Flag & the Tour of Poland

Hello & Happy Thursday! Last week of August - only 4 months of the year to go!

Today, we’ve got a pretty varied episode lined up for you all.

1. With the F1 up and racing, a few eyebrows were raised by the sudden appearance of a PINK Mercedes! And no, we don’t mean an actual Mercedes car turning pink, but Racing Point developing (coughplagiarismcough) a pink doppelgänger of the 2019 Mercedes car that has landed them in some serious hot water.

2. The AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round started on an interesting note with the announcement that they would not display the Aboriginal flag, leading to some serious increased awareness around the fact that the flag is COPYRIGHTED. This led to all 18 clubs adorning Free the Flag tees and supporting the movement. We take you through the basics of copyright and what it means, the #freetheflag movement, and some potential pathways to getting freedom for the flag.

3. Stage 1 of the Tour of Poland ended with a bang - and not a good kind. A huge collision resulting from a sprint battle between Dylan Groenewegen and Fabio Jakobsen rocked the cycling world on a number of fronts. We talk through a few practical and legal issues that have been thrust into the spotlight - such as the downward sprint and event organiser liability.

To find out more about the free the flag movement, check out the great work being done by @clothingthegap.

You can find an explanation of the movement here: https://clothingthegap.com.au/pages/free-the-flag

and a timeline of the journey so far here: https://clothingthegap.com.au/pages/free-the-flag-journey

24 | TFL TALKS to Allen Christensen

Hello and Happy Thursday! We hope you are all well.

On today’s episode, Chloe is sitting down with Australian Rules Football player, Allen Christensen. It was an absolute privilege to talk to Allen and have such a raw & powerful discussion.

We kicked off the conversation with some footy chat, discussing Allen’s journey to playing AFL. We talk about the day he was drafted to Geelong Football Club and then follow his career through to the present day where he now plays for the Brisbane Lions.

We then take the conversation off-field where Allen opened up about his challenges including a gambling addiction. As a proud Tiwi man, Allen also talks about his experiences as an Indigenous Australian in the AFL during the Adam Goodes era. We explore the changes Allen inspired within his own footy club and he offers some fantastic insights into how the Australians can better educate themselves about our national history and First Peoples.

Additionally, we give you the inside goss on what ‘hub’ life is really like for AFL players. And by the end of this episode, we’re 100% positive you’ll have found a new podcast to add to your weekly repertoire after you hear about Allen’s own podcast, Addicted to the Game, which he runs with his brothers Luke and Aaron, and friend Jimmy. To keep up to date with Allen’s news, you can follow Addicted to the Game via Instagram and Twitter @attgpodcast

We hope you enjoy the chat as much as we did!

23 | TFL TACKLES Athlete A & Abuse in Gymnastics, Wigan Athletic F.C. and De Goey vs. De Belin: A deep dive into Sport and Sexual Assault Charg...

Hello & Happy Thursday!

We hope you are well and if you're stuck in the Melbourne Lockdown 2.0, we hope you are staying SANE (if not, don't stress...Chloe's got an unrelated sports tip to offer you).

Our first story today considers the ‘Netflix effect’ of Athlete A and the impact of the documentary on the Gymnastics industry. We chat about the bravery of the athletes who have come forward, the #gymnastalliance movement and the institutional responses both Internationally & in Australia.

We then look into a potential corruption scandal currently dominating the Championship after the SNEAKY SALE of Wigan Athletic FC. We run through the tumultuous events as they unfolded and provide an update on the most recent appeal.

**Content Warning: Please note our final segment discusses sexual assault. If you find this content distressing, please pause the episode at the 27 minute mark.

This segment compares the treatment of AFL player Jordan De Goey against NRL player Jack De Belin. Both athletes were charged with sexual assault but following intervention by the criminal law, their playing careers have taken two very different paths. De Goey was allowed to play on the following week. De Belin has been banned from competition for the last two years. We ask, why?

Please note, the mainstream media is labelling De Goey's charge as, "indecent assault". Following amendments in the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), "indecent assault" is now called "sexual assault" and is located in Section 40 of the Act. However, these terms are interchangeable and are used synonymously throughout the show.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to organisations such as Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) or Lifeline (13 11 14). They are here to help

22 | TFL TALKS to Georgia Thompson

Hello & Happy Thursday! We hope you are all staying safe and we are especially thinking of our Melbournian friends.

On today’s show we are sitting down with the Australian Olympic Committee’s (or the AOC’s) Social Media Coordinator, Georgia Thompson.

Growing up in Armidale NSW, Georgia developed a passion for sport from a young age with the support and encouragement of her parents. After graduating from high school, she went on to study a Bachelor of Communications (focusing on journalism) and a Bachelor of Sports Science, at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.

It was whilst she was studying that she gained some incredible experiences in the media. She worked at Bathurst Producers and New England Broadcasters within her first year of university, and then landed her first role as a content producer at the Netball World Cup in 2015! By October that year, she was employed by the AOC as a Digital Media Assistant.

Since then, Georgia has continued to work her way up the career ladder to her current role. Today, as Social Media Coordinator, Georgia has been imperative in keeping the Olympic spirit alive in Australia after the delay of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics through campaigns such as #OlympicDay.

In today’s episode we chat with Georgia about her career pathway and experiences with the AOC, her insights about how athletes handle their relationship with social media in contrast to their sponsorship obligations and how she copes with the challenges of being a young female in the sports industry

It was wonderful to sit down with Georgia and have such an open and honest discussion and we hope you enjoy the chat as much as we did!

21 | TFL TACKLES Netball AUS in Hot Water, the NBA’s New Ring & Nicky Winmar

Hello & Happy Thursday! Happy July! Only 8 weeks of Winter to go and for some of our fellow Victorians, you’ll be spending the next month back in Stage 3 Lockdown. We are sending you big love, please stay safe.

So what else is making headlines this week?

Firstly we have a big announcement (excuse us for being self-indulgent) but after 6.5 years of study, Chloe and Annie have finally finished their Juris Doctor degrees, officially joining the club of ‘unemployed law graduates’. To other students deciding when to graduate, we would 110% recommend a mid-year finish so you can go travelling in Europe for 6 months before you start full time work….oh wait…

Alas, onto ACTUAL sports news. Today we start over at Netball AUS HQ where the Super Netball League is in some serious hot water. Did you hear about how they introduced a wild rule change but didn’t consult with any of their players beforehand? Cute.

We then go State side and examine the NBA’s newest bling – Not the Championship Ring but the Oura Ring. Made by a Finnish company, the Oura Ring is helping the NBA with the early detection of COVID-19… but is it simultaneously jeopardising the players’ right to privacy?

**Content Warning:

Please note our final segment discusses the racial vilification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples. If you find this content distressing, please pause the episode at the 22 minute mark.

You may have seen last week that some pretty abhorrent comments were made about AFL Legend, Nicky Winmar on another Australian Sports Podcast titled, You Cannot Be Serious. Today, we take a deep dive into Australian Defamation Law and offer some thoughts about how Winmar’s upcoming legal action might play out.

We also recommended you read this article by Associate Professor, Gregory Phillips if you are looking for some further commentary on this issue; https://theconversation.com/the-land-we-play-on-equality-doesnt-mean-justice-62101.

Enjoy the show

20 | TFL TALKS to Lucas Herbert

Hello everyone & Happy Thursday! Today on the show Annie and Emily sit down with professional golfer, Lucas Herbet.

Ranked #64 in the World, Lucas is among the top 5 Australians on the list, not too far behind superstars Jason Day and Adam Scott. Lucas grew up just outside of Bendigo, Victoria and turned pro in 2015. He’s now 24 years old and has been an official player on the European Tour for the last 3 seasons.

In today’s episode we discuss Lucas’ self-proclaimed “love-hate” relationship with his sport, exploring the highs and lows of life on the road. We chat about his first professional win at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January this year, playing practice rounds with Tiger Woods at his first British Open and what it’s like having everyone on the Internet being able to find out EXACTLY how much money you are making.

Lucas was so generous in giving up some of his time before he hopefully jets back off to US in two weeks to FINALLY start playing again. To keep up to date with Lucas and his latest news, you can follow him on:

• Twitter @lhgolf5
• Instagram @herbznspices_

There’s some absolute cracking stories in this one and we hope you enjoy the show!

19 | TFL TACKLES MJ’s Reebok Cover Up, (Don’t)Go Fund Me & Sport after COVID-19

Hellooooo & Happy Thursday! Winter is here and for all our University listeners…so is exam time (we wish you well). But most importantly…SPORT IS BACK…Well, kind of.

Today on the show we start with a debrief about Netflix’s latest sensation; The Last Dance. Did you watch Episode 5? Were you confused about all the drama with the Nike Air Jordan vs Reebok logo? Same! So today we are breaking it all down before leaving you to decide the big question – did MJ do the right thing?

You may have also seem some headlines around about a Go Fund Me page set up to help Richmond Superstar, Marlion Pickett. But why won’t the AFL allow Pickett to benefit from the public purse?

Lastly, we take a quick squiz at Sport in post COVID-19 world. Will there be new rules? Apparently ‘No Spitting’ is a thing? Maybe more injuries & interchange? And what on EARTH is happening with those fake crowd noises and cardboard cut-outs!? We answer it all.

Enjoy the show!