Chiming In - Steve Gillis, Player Manager

Craig Salvatori was a mainstay of the Sydney Roosters front row through the late '80s and early '90s, racking up around 140 first grade games between the Roosters and a final season at South Sydney, three State of Origin appearances for the Blues alongside Laurie Daley, and a Roosters life membership this year that came with the club's Indigenous Round honour.

He was also at the centre of one of Australian sport's most confronting personal stories: in October 2002, Salvatori lost his wife Kathy in the Bali bombings, and became an unlikely go-between for the Australian government's response on the ground, speaking daily with radio host Alan Jones and eventually meeting with then-Prime Minister John Howard. More than two decades on, he talks openly about grief, acceptance, and raising his daughters through it.

It's not all heavy going, though — Salvatori also revisits the infamous headbutt that cost him a five-week suspension, a near-miss at a premiership in 1987, and a colonoscopy story that nearly blew up his marriage. And after 45 years as a builder, he's about to set off on "Salvo's Aussie Pub Crawl" — a year-long lap of the country's pubs with his wife and dog in tow.

In this episode of Chiming In, Craig shares stories from a life that's been as tough as it has been full, and explains why he's chosen to talk about the hardest parts of it rather than look away.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Welcome: Craig Salvatori joins Chiming In
01:47 - Breaking news: retiring after 45 years as a builder
02:32 - The plan: Salvo's Aussie Pub Crawl
05:20 - The colonoscopy story that nearly got him busted
09:02 - Naming the tour and sorting sleeping arrangements
14:35 - Opening up about the Bali bombings and losing Kathy
16:33 - How the group ended up split between the Sari Club and babysitting
18:06 - The night of the bombing and the search for answers
21:34 - Getting the Prime Minister involved
24:25 - Has he been back to Bali since
25:29 - Roosters and Rabbitohs career, and getting signed for $2,000
29:50 - The 1987 preliminary final classic against Canberra
31:12 - Backing Laurie Daley against his critics
32:40 - Falling out with Phil Gould and leaving the Roosters
35:24 - Retiring at 30, and getting two new knees at 53
37:36 - Roosters life member and Indigenous Round honour
41:28 - The hardest front rowers he played against
42:20 - The famous headbutt and five-week suspension
46:15 - Calling games on radio with 2GB
47:16 - Life on the road calling Cowboys games in Townsville
53:01 - Wrap-up and best wishes for the trip
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Fresh off coaching New South Wales to a series win nobody outside the camp gave them a chance of, Laurie Daley sits down for a full debrief on the campaign — the celebrations, the criticism, and everything in between.

Daley takes us inside the moments after the siren: the Gatorade shower, the speech in the sheds, a beer on the SCG turf with the playing group, and the 5:30am walk into a radio station on zero sleep to do an interview live, still buzzing from the win. He also answers his critics head-on — the press conference "grenade," the pile-on over Melbourne's interchange calls, and whether Laurie Daley holds a grudge (his answer: no, but he's keeping receipts).

Along the way he talks through what Stuart Diver's story meant to the playing group, a reunion dinner with the 1996 Blues team, the viral clip of Phil Gould pinching his seat in 2002, and just how far Andrew Johns' influence reached inside the camp this year. There's also a quiet moment about his late father, and the song that reminded Daley he was with him in spirit on the day it mattered most.

In this episode of Chiming In, Laurie shares what it really took to win the "unwinnable" series — and what's next for him and the Blues.

00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Welcome: the Origin-winning coach in the studio
02:35 - What's next — the contract question and his plans
06:50 - Celebrations: the Gatorade shower and the sneaky phone request
08:52 - On the field when the siren went
10:27 - The team photo, and standing at the back on purpose
12:21 - A beer on the SCG turf and the speech in the sheds
14:59 - 16 weeks without a beer, then the one that mattered
16:10 - The 5:30am walk into the radio station
17:51 - Over a thousand texts, and who reached out
26:51 - The press conference "grenade"
29:09 - Does Laurie Daley hold a grudge?
30:15 - The "putting his players to sleep" story
32:44 - Answering the Melbourne interchange criticism
37:56 - Brian To'o's Origin future
39:44 - Stuart Diver's story and what it meant to the group
42:08 - Reuniting with the 1996 Blues team
44:03 - Phil Gould's "greatest ever" comments
45:44 - The viral Gus seat-pinching clip
47:38 - What he learned about himself this campaign
48:38 - Isiah Yeo's leadership in camp
50:26 - Nathan Cleary and the immortal conversation
52:13 - Mitch Moses' kicking game and his role in the win
56:25 - His late father, and the song that reminded him he was there
58:11 - Wrap-up and what's ahead for the Blues
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Paul Nobby Clarke is one of rugby league’s good guys.

A powerful front rower forward in the 1980s and 90s, Clarke gave as good as he got but always found time to look at the lighter side of life.

Tough, skilful and uncompromising, Clarke played a major role in Penrith’s first ever premiership victory in 1991.

According to team-mate Royce Simmons, Clarke was deserved on the Churchill Medal. Clarke reckons Simmons told him after the game that he was Canberra’s best player in the first half and Penrith’s best performer in the second.

In this episode of Chiming In, Nobby shares the secrets of his success and recalls how his childhood dream of playing in the NRL never left his radar.
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You would think former Manly coach Anthony Seibold would be death riding the Sea Eagles this year. Strangely, that’s not the case.

Dumped by the Club after just three NRL games, Seibold is today back on top of his game and would be more than pleased if his former chargers went on to the win the premiership.

In this episode of Chiming In, Seibold opens up on shock moment he was shown the door at Brookvale and how he has since put his life back together.

His openness and honesty will surprise you. In fact, Seibold hasn’t given up on Coaching NRL again - despite failing to fulfil his last two contracts at Manly and Brisbane.

He also talks candidly about his time at Souths and the enormous pressure he found himself under after joining the Brisbane Broncos.

Often criticised but always up for the challenge, Seibold is one of rugby league’s true survivors. His honesty and frankness will surprise many and his journey from a ball boy to an NRL head coach will amaze you.
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Royce Simmons is one of the most loved people to have ever played the game of rugby league.

Who could forget the 1991 grand final, when Simmons - in his very last game for the Penrith Panthers - scored two tries in a five star performance to overcome the Canberra Raiders.

Sadly, in recent times, the former NSW and Australian hooker has struggled with health issues and is battling dementia.

But it hasn’t stopped Simmons' zest for life and his desire to raise funds and try and find a cure for the debilitating disease.

In this episode of Chiming In, Simmons talks passionately about his health battles, his love for rugby league and those he has shared his journey with.

But it’s his funny life stories which will have you chuckling as Simmons recalls a career well done.

Simmons also reveals the greatest ever forward he’s ever seen - and it will shock you.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Start
00:04 - Highlights
01:46 - Diagnosis Dementia
04:16 - Walking
05:06 - Warning Signs / Finding Out
07:01 - Biggest Killer in the World / Stats
08:41 - Treatment for Dementia
10:06 - Treatment in America
11:36 - Dealing / Living With It
12:46 - People Reaching Out
14:03 - Lightbulb Moment for Starting Charity
15:31 - England & Hull Work
18:46 - Raising Money & Marathons
21:56 - "Worst Thing That Could Happen"
25:36 - Nathan Cleary & Current Penrith
26:56 - Penrith Pride
28:31 - Named in His Honour + Retirement / Aged Living Apartments
34:16 - '91 Grand Final + Last Game
37:36 - Promise to Fans + Grand Final Night
39:01 - Growing Up in the Bush
43:46 - Early Sporting Days
46:59 - Pet Horse + Motorbike
50:16 - Meeting His Wife + Meeting in High School
52:46 - Clubs That Almost Signed
56:16 - Comparing Old vs New Players
58:11 - Isaah Yeo / Best Forward Ever
01:02:16 - Upcoming Walks & Fundraisers
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