Andrew Johns reveals he was on the verge of a startling partnership with Shane Warne just before the spin king's tragic death
Footy great Andrew Johns has revealed that he was planning to host a podcast with good friend Shane Warne before the spin king's tragic death in 2022.
Appearing on the Hello Sport podcast, the NRL Immortal revealed that he first met Warne in 2019 before revealing news of the planned collaboration.
'Before Warnie (died) - can't believe he's not with us - we were going to do a podcast together,' Johns said.
'I flew down twice (to Warne's home) and we did like a rehearsal.'
Johns went on to explain that he believed the stories of Warne's wild lifestyle were overblown.
'Mate what a champion,' he said.
'He was such a good guy. That surprised me, I thought he'd be like a mad party animal. He hardly drank.
'He was so cool, he was so down to earth, such a legend.
'Just an aura, one of those blokes who walks into a room and everyone says "wow".
'The first time I met him I faced him at the nets at the SCG during lunch. I was like how good's this?
'When I got there I was so nervous facing the king. He actually hit me in the nuts with the ball and I got a photo with the protector and went, "when you're out with Warnie you've always got to wear protection".'
Johns said he was floored by the news of Warne's tragic death.
'It's one of those Princess Diana's or September 11's, one of those moments where you knew where you were when you heard,' Johns said.
'He's just one of those characters you think they're going to live forever.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Can Giants v Suns go from ‘mockbuster' to megahit?
The Expansion Cup. It's the biggest game on the football calendar. At least it is for two clubs and their supporters who circle the day as a reminder that they're not alone in trying to break into a crowded market. But this time, the clash between the GWS Giants and the Gold Coast Suns is more than just a 'mockbuster'. It's for more than just tongue-in-cheek bragging rights. The AFL's glorified 'nepo babies' will meet for the first time with both sides sitting inside the top eight. The finger of blame for this anomaly over 14 years of the clubs' shared history can be firmly pointed at the Suns. The Giants have appeared in seven finals campaigns, won nine post-season matches and reached a grand final in 2019. For the Suns, the numbers for the same are none, zero, zilch. But this season they are on the verge of overtaking the Giants in the premiership race. After giving the Giants a huge head start, the Suns are threatening to be the first of the expansion clubs to reach the promised land. Gold Coast have only once been a genuine finals contender, when they were still sitting in the top eight as late as round 16 in 2014. Gary Ablett Jr went down at that point with a season-ending shoulder injury. The Suns tumbled with him to 12th. That remains their equal-highest finish, but the perennial underachievers are now likely five wins away from breaking their finals drought. They have six matches to come on their home deck and two games in hand on four of the sides sitting above their sixth place. A challenging run home awaits, but with three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick's fingerprints all over their gameplan and brand, they finally look ready to stand up at the pointy end of a season. The former Richmond coach inherited a high-potential midfield built around onball bull Matt Rowell and veteran Touk Miller. Noah Anderson adds the touch of class. Handing the captaincy to Anderson at 23 years old has been a masterstroke as much as a changing of the guard – just as Hardwick made Trent Cotchin the Tigers' skipper at a similar same age. Anderson finished in the top 10 of the 2023 Brownlow Medal in his fourth season. He is now a much more complete footballer; still polished in possession but better at winning and distributing the ball from the inside. The recruitment of Daniel Rioli, who played under Hardwick at the Tigers, and John Noble has already paid dividends. The duo's dash and dare from half-back sets the tone and has helped make the Suns harder for opposition defences to contain. They have the fourth-highest scoring attack, with focal point Ben King already on 34 goals, as well as the fifth-tightest defence. That blend has been the premiership model in 18 of the past 20 years. The best is still to come for Gold Coast. Grassroots participation in the city is booming and their well funded academy is paying for itself. Key forward Jed Walter, athletic tall Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham all arrived from their football factory as first-round picks in 2023. Leo Lombard is another academy graduate since taken in the top 10. More highly touted prospects are tipped to be added later this year and leave the clubs in footy's heartland fuming. Gold Coast and GWS both come with their flaws, their inconsistencies and talented but imbalanced playing lists. But at their best, they can match it with any team in the competition. GWS have beaten Collingwood, Geelong and Brisbane this year. Gold Coast have edged past the next tier of Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn. The Suns are rising, while the Giants are … not quite falling, but too often just hanging on. The forward group led by the talismanic Toby Greene and reigning Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan could be the most potent in the game. But the Giants are ranked mid-table for scoring, marks inside 50 and tackles inside 50. Arguably the best intercepting backline in the league is forced to paper over the cracks further afield, as it defends against the most inside 50s coming its way outside West Coast. An ageing midfield is creaking and needs a refresh alongside Finn Callaghan and Tom Green. The Giants have set the standard for the two newest clubs in the league. They have won 13 of their past 14 matches against the Suns, and all seven meetings at their home base by an average of 66 points. More than half of the 19 clashes between the Suns and Giants have been far from close encounters. They have been straight-to-DVD affairs decided by 40 points or more. The clash on Sunday is unlikely to break any box office records but the top-eight tussle will be worth watching if only for a glimpse into the future of an emerging force. The reigning premiers will seek to return to form against the Cats on Friday night at a venue where they have not won since 2003. GWS were the brash young upstarts threatening to build a dynasty. On the brink of a grand final in just their fifth season, their rapid rise was an AFL fever dream. But the Western Bulldogs had their own wave of momentum behind them during an emotionally charged finals campaign. The 2016 preliminary final had more on the line than just a spot in the decider. It soon became an all-time classic. After a see-sawing first half, the Giants led by the narrowest of margins at the last change. Goals to Rory Lobb and Toby Greene gave them some breathing space, before the Bulldogs took the lead with three majors on the trot. Giants key forward Jonathon Patton brought the game back to within a point with his fourth of the day, and scores were level when Jack Macrae booted just his second goal of the season for the Dogs. GWS small forward Devon Smith blasted wide from just inside the 50m arc with two minutes remaining to bring the margin back to under a kick. As the Giants pushed forward one last time, the Dogs' stand-in captain Easton Wood stood up with three desperate acts in as many seconds, befitting of the pulsating contest from both sides. It was irrelevant to the outcome but felt right that Tory Dickson's shot after the siren hit the post, keeping the margin to a solitary goal. That was still enough for the Bulldogs to secure a grand final spot for the first time in 20,090 days, with more history to be written a week later when they faced the Swans. The Brisbane veteran was first on the scene after Payne suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury against GWS. 'I was right at his feet,' Zorko told SENQ Breakfast. 'There was a little bit of a noise, obviously him impacting the ground didn't sound great.' Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion 'The biggest thing for me when I was going through a rough patch was I just lost passion for the game, I didn't enjoy the grind,' the Giants forward Jesse Hogan told AFL 360. 'It became really tough and that's when my mind kind of wandered. 'I didn't enjoy getting to the club, I wasn't enjoying the small things that when you were 16 or 17 you did enjoy. Until you figure out the smaller things and you can really strip it all back and start to enjoy those things and put really good people around you, it can get really hard. He can make it work, absolutely he can.' The reigning Coleman medallist backed Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to rediscover his love for the game after the former No 1 pick returned to training with the Western Bulldogs. Any thoughts you want to share? Reply to this email or send your views to fromthepocket@ Lance Franklin is the last player to kick a century with 113 goals in 2008, but who has booted the most majors in a season since then? Bonus points if you know the year and total number. Answers in next week's newsletter, but if you think you know it, hit reply and let me know. Last week's answer: Which two clubs have played the most matches against each other without meeting in a final? The Western Bulldogs (including as Footscray) and Richmond have played 161 times without a finals clash. Congratulations to Logan P, who was first to reply with the right answer. Bailey Smith has lived up to his star billing and helped change the way Geelong play since joining from the Western Bulldogs – but he is no showstopper, writes Jonathan Horn. Reply to this email and drop me a line, or email fromthepocket@ Have a friend who might? Forward this to them, or tell them how to get it.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Beloved Foxtel executive dies aged 48 following battle with illness
Former Foxtel executive Fraser Stark has died at the age of 48, following a battle with illness. Stark, who held the role of Group General Manager – Entertainment & Music for several years, passed away last week. He spent over a decade at Foxtel, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the network's entertainment and arts output. Joining the subscription broadcaster in 2008 as a Programme Executive, he quickly worked his way up the corporate ladder. He ultimately oversaw many channels including History, Bio, and Foxtel Arts, as well as leading major commissions and programming initiatives. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. During his time at the company, Stark was instrumental in delivering major projects such as Miriam Margolyes' Peter and the Wolf Fire Fight Australia, A Night with Michael Bublé, CMC Rocks, the Helpmann Awards and Studio Max. He also helped launch several popular themed channels including FOX Funny, FOX Hits and FOX Sci-Fi, and led key campaigns during 2016's marriage equality plebiscite. In 2020, Stark departed Foxtel to take up a leadership role at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, where he served as Chief of Marketing & Business Development for several years. Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany led tributes to the beloved executive in a statement. 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of Fraser, a valued colleague who spent 12 impactful years at Foxtel from 2008 to 2020, most recently serving as Group General Manager – Entertainment & Music,' he began. 'Fraser had a genuine passion for advancing the entertainment and arts industry. He was a supportive and inclusive leader who uplifted those around him, earning the respect and admiration of his colleagues. 'On behalf of the Foxtel Group, we express our condolences to his family, and everyone who was close to him.' A memorial service will be held at 11am on Friday, June 20 at Sydney's Waverley Cemetery in Bronte. Stark's passing follows reports that Foxtel has signed a major deal with U.S. entertainment giant NBCUniversal. Viewers will now have access to a vast library of new content, as well as favourites including the Fast and Furious and Jurassic Park franchises. The new partnership also means Foxtel and its streaming services like Binge will have exclusive rights to first-run series, reports Variety Australia. This will include shows produced for brands like Sky Studios, Universal International Studios and NBCU's Peacock platform. Thanks to the new deal, Foxtel will also stream drama, comedy, reality and news from NBCU. Foxtel subscribers can also look forward to seeing films like the World War II drama Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy and the George Clooney movie Ticket to Paradise.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Big Brother star reveals massive new Byron Bay 'family home' - as she earns millions from property flipping
A former Big Brother star has unveiled the design for her massive Byron Bay 'family home' which was 'promised' to her 14 years ago. Krystal Hipwell (née Forscutt), 38, who owns a $25 million house flipping empire with her husband Neil, shared a photo of the property to Instagram on Wednesday. She began with a video of the current state her land is in, with tradies swarming the site as they prepare to build her multimillion-dollar dream home. The ex reality TV star also shared a photo of what her home looked like when she first purchased it in March, posing in front of a shack with her husband and three children. 'Our family home then vs now,' Krystal wrote with a laughing emoji as she compared the old run-down house she bought to the construction site it had turned into. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Krystal went on to share several photos of her young family living on a construction site last year as they built two lavish properties to rent out for events and group stays. Banks at Byron is located at the front of the plot and sleeps up to 18 guests, costing upwards of $5,550 for a two-night stay, according to the website. Meanwhile, Bunker Byron is located behind on the back of the site, and sleeps up to 14 guests, while it costs around $7,000 for a minimum three-night stay. The high-class properties can be booked together for a huge group stay or separately and provide guests with a luxurious glimpse at the Byron coastline. Krystal shared photos of her children Sunny, Nakoda and Husky sitting around a campfire as the family lived out of a caravan on-site at the time the two properties were being built. 'At least this time we won't be living on site,' she said of her current house flip. Though she went on to say she 'missed' living on the plot of land with her kids and property developer husband. The final picture Krystal shared showed what her dream home will end up looking like, with a modern three-storey build surrounded by lush green gardens. 'But it sure will be nice to finally have the family home I was promised 14 years ago,' she captioned the image as she tagged Neil's construction company Future Flip. It is not the first huge home renovation Krystal and her husband Neil have taken on, as they previously launched Bunker House in Gerrigong, NSW in 2021. The multi-storey mansion, which they originally built as their dream home after buying the land for $1.7 million, is now a luxury rental which can accommodate 16 guests. Krystal and Neil also have another resort style accommodation located just outside the Perisher Valley ski village at Crackenback in the NSW Alps. Built by the couple in 2021 and dubbed 'Jimmy Doo', it can accommodate 22 adults and eight children. Krystal first shot to fame on Big Brother Australia in 2006.
