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See which AFL teams will be exposed in a new documentary series by the makers of the smash-hit Drive to Survive

See which AFL teams will be exposed in a new documentary series by the makers of the smash-hit Drive to Survive

Daily Mail​19 hours ago
AFL fans are in for a treat, as it has been revealed that a new all-access docu-series about footy's top-flight is coming to our screens.
According to SEN, the production company, Box to Box Films, behind the smash-hit Netflix series 'Drive to Survive' has already commenced work on a brand new AFL series that will be aired on Amazon Prime Video.
Box to Box Films are an Emmy-winning producer based in London. They are reportedly in Australia and are working with five footy clubs.
As of March 2025, 'Drive to Survive', Netflix's viewing data report suggests that Series Five of the show has gained over 90,000,000 viewing hours since it was launched in 2019.
And as the AFL looks to innovate on how it can broaden its audiences globally, footy chiefs will be hoping that they can drive up some big numbers.
SEN has also revealed the footy clubs that producers will be working with, and only one Victorian club is included in the roster.
Fremantle, GWS Giants, Gold Coast and the reigning premiers, Brisbane will all feature in the documentary, alongside the Western Bulldogs.
It is also understood that the series will revolve around the star players in each team.
Marcus Bontempelli is being rumoured to have a spotlight in the series, alongside GWS star Toby Greene.
Instead of focusing on the clubs, the new programme, which is yet to be named, will delve into the lives of the players and how they have risen to the top of professional footy.
The AFL has previously engaged producers and streaming giants, like Amazon, to produce a series delving into the lives of players in the league.
Back in 2021, the 'Making Their Mark' docu-series was released on Amazon and featured Eddie Betts and Nic Naitanui, while also going behind the scenes at the Crows and GWS.
While we wait for more details to drop on which players will be involved in the show, one Freo star has revealed he will not be participating.
'I can't say it will involve me too much,' Sam Switkowski told the West Australian.
'I haven't noticed any extra cameras or anything like that, so I'm not too sure who will be in it.
'It will be good for the club, good for the sport as a whole, to be able to see a little bit more of what goes on for our fans and members.'
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Michael Clarke proves he's still a heavy hitter in the cricket world as he holidays with one of the most powerful men in the sport
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Michael Clarke proves he's still a heavy hitter in the cricket world as he holidays with one of the most powerful men in the sport

Michael Clarke 's recent holiday snaps show that he is still a heavy hitter in the cricket world, with the former Aussie star mixing with one of the most powerful men in the sport. The 44-year-old, who was born in Liverpool, New South Wales, is well known as being one of Australia 's greatest-ever batsmen, ranking sixth on the list of the country's all-time top run-scorers. He rose to stardom, ranking as the No 1 Test batsman in the world at one stage of his career, doing so after overcoming the adversity of a back injury, which plagued the former Australia captain during the later stages of his career. During his glittering 12-year international cricket career, the Aussie would go on to score 8,643 runs across 115 Test matches for Australia, amassing a jaw-dropping 978 fours during that time. He'd also go on to score 13,826 First Class runs for New South Wales. He'd retire from Test cricket in 2015 following a glittering career, but is still mixing with some big names from the sport. In fact, pictures from his most recent vacation to Sardinia with his girlfriend, Arabella Sherborne, show the former cricketer spending some time with Lalit Modi, the former chairperson and founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Modi has also served as the President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association and was appointed the Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) between 2005 and 2010. Back in 2013, Modi was banned by the BCCI for 'indiscipline and misconduct'. He denies any wrongdoing in relation to the ban. In March, the Prime Minister of Vanuatu ordered the cancellation of the passport of the Indian businessman Modi. Despite that, he is understood to now live in the United Kingdom, and still wields some influence within the sport. During his vacation, Clarke was sitting down for dinner with his girlfriend, Sherbourne, as well as Modi and Rima Bouri. Clarke also published a photograph of himself and the former cricket executive, presenting Modi with one of his Australia jerseys that had been signed by several other members of the team. In another picture, the pair were seen enjoying what appeared to be a deep conversation by a pool in Sardinia. It appears he may publish some parts of their conversation on his Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, after the former Aussie Test skipper tagged the podcast in the image. Clarke and Sherborne celebrated their one-year anniversary in May, and now the cricketer has appointed her as his executive assistant During his Sardinia getaway, Clarke was also pictured filming with journalist Piers Morgan for the podcast. Morgan is known to be a big cricket fanatic. It comes after a sad detail was revealed that suggested that some of Clarke's former team-mates have cut him out of their lives. During a podcast, Phil Rothfield and Andrew Webster had revealed that the cricketer's former team-mates have very little to do with Clarke. The revelation stemmed from a confrontation he had in the dressing room with Simon Katich during Australia's 2009 Test series against South Africa. During a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was also Matthew Hayden's final appearance in the Baggy Green cap. Clarke had lashed out at delays of the performance of team's song, Under the Southern Cross I Stand. He had been looking to rush off to fulfil plans away from the team. Katich was unimpressed by his actions, allegedly grabbing the batter by the throat as the confrontation escalated.

Ben Te'o: ‘Guys were fighting for spots. After too many drinks sometimes that spills over'
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Ben Te'o emerges from Brisbane Broncos' headquarters, umbrella in one hand and walking a little gingerly. As we head for the cafe at the Broncos' lavish training base, where Te'o is now an assistant coach, he explains he has just spent two nights in hospital due to a burst appendix. To his great credit, he still felt obliged to meet, and he is good company. It is entirely complimentary to remark that Te'o has never struck as an overly complicated person. He says it how he sees it. And there is plenty to say. It is 8am, the day before the first British & Irish Lions Test in Brisbane. Te'o has been in demand of late, for the local press wants to know how the Lions measures up against NRL's State of Origin and the former England centre is the only man to both represent the former and play in the latter. 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Jones unceremoniously ditched both players, sending the rest of his squad – who went on to reach the final in Japan – a clear message. 'There were a whole lot of guys who were fighting for spots and when you're doing that, things get a little sticky,' says Te'o. 'After too many drinks sometimes that spills over. My regret would be that after a few drinks the confrontation happened whereas it should have just happened before. You should have approached it before you had the drinks, because that blurs the line. 'I thought it galvanised the group and if I was Eddie I would have done the same thing. I don't think Browny was going anyway, I was teetering on not going because I had torn my calf earlier in the camp. Maybe Eddie saw an opportunity, get these two out of here right now, set a standard, make a statement to the rest of the team and put everyone on notice. It worked.' Almost immediately Te'o signed for Toulon. 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'I was probably at the back of the line and I do feel like I played my way into the team. I was proud of that. My mother is English, I had gone over [to England] purely to play rugby, I then had the opportunity to represent her and ended up in the Lions squad.' As with Jones, Te'o waxes lyrical about Warren Gatland and believes it was inevitable that Andy Farrell – assistant in 2017 – would one day replace him as Lions head coach. '[Warren] was unbelievable. Now that I'm a bit older and I sit back I think he's one of the best coaches I've ever seen.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion I wonder if the 2013 Lions tour might have sowed the union seed in Te'o's mind. He does not think so – interestingly, he believes it did for Sam Burgess – but Te'o recalls avidly watching his close friend Israel Folau announce himself on the global union stage and is struck by the similarities between him and Joseph Suaalii. 'Izzy and Joseph are very similar,' adds. 'From a rules point of view, probably raw but from an athletic point of view, exceptional. Big, long, fast, unbelievable in the air. They're the same thing. I reckon [Joseph's] best position will eventually be full-back. You want him touching the ball in more space.' Te'o's time in Toulon was ill-fated. He was released early on Christmas Eve, spent the night packing and flew back to Australia on Christmas Day. It goes down as one of the many lessons that Te'o is now putting to use as a coach, a transition that came about after Covid curtailed his stint with the Sunwolves in Japan and precipitated a move back to the Broncos, first as a player, now as an assistant coach. 'I just started to think about all the things I had learned on my travels,' says Te'o. 'Being at Worcester, there were some real lessons I learned about always being in a relegation battle. Then being with Eddie and understanding how he would see things tactically and from a psychological point of view, thinking about how Warren brought together a team. So I started thinking to myself: 'I know a fair bit, it would be a waste if I didn't teach it to someone else.'' For now Te'o is settled in Brisbane with a young family but at some point in the future he would like to travel again and coach in union. The 15-man code is ailing in Australia at present but having grown up in New Zealand, where union remains a religion, it is clear Te'o still has a deep connection with the sport. 'Union, it's really fading over here,' he adds. 'Most kids aspire to be rugby league players. People have to understand that rugby league is in your face, it's everywhere. 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