Dr. Ben O'Keeffe is one of the best rugby referees in the world—and he's also a fully qualified doctor, specializing in ophthalmology.

This episode first dropped in 2023, shortly after Ben made headlines for the intense backlash (including death threats) he received after officiating the Super Rugby Final between the Crusaders and the Chiefs. Since the Super Rugby 2025 final is again between these two fierce rivals, I thought I'd re-release the episode ICYMI the first time

round.

In this conversation, we unpack Ben’s unique double life as a top-level rugby referee and an eye surgeon.

We talk about his journey through medicine, his passion for the game, and how he deals with pressure, criticism, and the spotlight that comes with both careers.

I originally invited Ben on the podcast after his honest Instagram post went viral—calling out some of the horrific messages he received post-match. But beyond the drama, he's just a bloody inspiring Kiwi, doing incredible things with humility and focus.

If you missed this episode the first time around, now’s the perfect time to catch up.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bens Dual Career

02:55 The Journey Through Medicine

05:48 Transitioning from Medicine to Refereeing

09:10 Balancing Rugby and Medicine

12:00 The Life of a Professional Referee

14:52 Understanding the Game and Its Rules

18:00 Decision Making Under Pressure

20:52 The Impact of Refereeing Decisions

23:56 The Role of a Referee in the Game

27:09 Refereeing as a Career Choice

30:00 Training and Preparation for Referees

33:01 The Importance of Experience in Refereeing

36:16 Understanding Referee-Player Dynamics

39:25 Accountability in Refereeing

43:38 Review Processes and Continuous Improvement

49:14 The Impact of Social Media on Referees

54:57 Navigating Public Criticism and Mental Health

01:01:01 The Role of Support and Community in Refereeing

01:10:44 Referee Relationships with Players

01:14:36 The Dynamics of Refereeing

01:16:20 Nervousness and Preparation Before Games

01:19:34 Emotional Challenges and Accountability

01:22:21 Learning from Mistakes and Apologies

01:23:49 Controversial Decisions and Their Impact

01:24:51 Weird Rules and Laws in Rugby

01:26:36 The Importance of the Whistle

01:28:56 Referee Milestones and Achievements

01:30:59 World Cup Aspirations and Team Dynamics

01:33:45 Media Attention and Public Perception

01:36:29 The Future of Refereeing and Safety Concerns

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In 2011, 22 year old Troy Hall was young, fit, and working hard to turn his life around after years of addiction and violence.

Then, on a rainy day in Tauranga, everything changed: A freak accident involving overhead power lines left him clinically dead, twice.

What followed was months in hospital, countless surgeries, extreme burns, the loss of body parts, and a long road through depression, trauma, and recovery.

In this emotional and brutally honest chat, Troy opens up about his old life in gang culture, his near-death experience, and the grueling mental and physical recovery that followed.

He talks candidly about suicidal thoughts, fatherhood, body image, self-worth, and how it’s taken him over a decade to finally feel proud of himself.

I feel like the words ‘raw’ and ‘powerful’ get a bit overused in the podcast space these days. But this conversation is most definitely those things.

Troy's story is one of resilience, perspective, healing, and the power of surrounding yourself with the right people.

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling stuck, hopeless, or not good enough—this episode is for you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dillon Boucher is one of New Zealand’s most decorated basketballers. In this wide-ranging conversation he opens up about everything: from being cut from the Olympic team and his relationship with Steven Adams, to his championship runs with the Breakers and being labelled a thug for how he played.

He also shares personal struggles around imposter syndrome, family sacrifices, leadership, and transitioning from player to executive in the sport he loves.

Whether you know him for his stare-downs on court or his legacy off it—this is the real Dylan Boucher.

🔗 Topics include:

• 2002 Tall Blacks World Champs run
• Life as a Breakers icon (and getting his jersey retired)
• Supporting Steven Adams’ journey
• His most emotional career moment
• Leadership, legacy, and life after the final whistle

Dillon is a guy who has devoted his entire life to NZ basketball so this was a huge honour to sit with him and pick his brains for a long form conversation like this. I loved the chat and I hope you do too.

****

This episode is sponsored by Generate Kiwisaver.

Choosing a KiwiSaver provider with strong long-term performance matters- and Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns.

Start planning now—Book a chat with an adviser at: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom/

Because the choices you make today will shape the retirement you’ll have tomorrow.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast with Ryan Fox originally came out in February 2023.

I thought I’d re-share the episode in case you missed it when it first came out two years, because Ryan is playing the best golf of his career in 2025.

In this conversation, recorded during his Christmas holiday in New Zealand, we talk about loads of stuff:

+ What it feels like to win $1.1 million dollars in a week, and how much of that he must pay out to his team.

+ Life growing up as the son of Grant Fox – one of the greatest all blacks ever.

+ What lessons he got from Steve Hansen about dealing with adversity when he was going through a bad patch.

+ His friendship with the late Shane Warne and much more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cam Webster was part of the Team NZ crew who won the Americas Cup in Barcelona in 2024.

What made this moment of sporting success even more significant for Cam was the journey he took to get there.

Before joining Team NZ, Cam spent 15 years dedicating his life to rowing. He even endured the devastation of missing out on the Olympics, twice, and watching on TV has his mates went on to win gold medals.

In June 2022 Cam retired from rowing. Then in December that year he trialed for Team NZ and the rest is history.

This is part of the Cam Webster story. It is his first ever podcast and it is an absolute honor that its here with me.

Some of the stuff we talk about include:

+ The frustrations of trying your absolute best and it not being quite good enough.

+ Being told, after years of grinding, that you weren’t quite good enough to go to the Olympics. Then watching your best friends and former teammates go on to win a gold medal.

+ Adapting to life after rowing and how that drastic life shift looked.

+ Then the Team New Zealand stuff from the grueling trials right up to winning the Americas Cup.

Cam Webster is a hard-working guy with a great attitude. His story is a reminder that sometimes your best is not good enough.

This is also a masterclass in positivity, adversity, resilience and bouncing back from disappointment. So many cool gems and takeaways in this conversation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Honey Hireme-Smiler is one of the greatest rugby players New Zealand has ever produced, across both league and union.

But Honey Hireme-Smiler is so much more than just a sporting legend.

She’s a mum, a trailblazer, a role-model, a commentator, a mentor, and an unapologetic force for good.

This is a small part of the Honey Hireme-Smiler story:

+Stories about her most memorable playing moments. Including playing both league and rugby for New Zealand in two different countries in the space of a week

+The bitter disappointment of not being selected to go to the Olympics then watching the games on TV when her teammates won silver.

+Her journey from self-described town bully to head girl during her high school years.

+Her reflections on nursing her mum during her brief battle with cancer.

There's also lots of fun, light moments too- including a very awkward story about meeting Prince Harry at Buckingham palace!

Honey is the real deal. She was a savage on the field. But off the field she is softly spoken, intelligent, articulate, kind, loyal and hilarious. This was the first time we met, and I felt like she was an old friend.

***

Thanks to Generate for sponsoring this episode.

What do you see yourself doing in retirement? Think as ambitious as you like! Moving to the beach? Exploring the world flying business class? Staying local and spending more time with friends and family?

Whatever your dream, there’s one big question —how much will it cost?- that’s why choosing a KiwiSaver provider with strong long-term performance matters.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns. You can check out their latest returns for yourself on their website. Because the choices you make today will shape the retirement you’ll have tomorrow.

Start planning now—Book a chat with an adviser at

https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom/

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brook Macdonald on the Crash That Changed His Life, Racing Again & Resilience

In this episode, legendary Kiwi downhill mountain biker Brook Macdonald (aka The Bulldog) opens up like never before.

He talks about:

🏆 Becoming a professional athlete and millionaire by age 30

💥 The horrific 2019 crash that broke his back at World Champs

🧠 The mental and physical battle to walk — and race — again

🔥 Red Bull sponsorship, mindset, money mistakes & what’s next

From chasing World Cup podiums to learning how to walk again, Brooke’s story is one of resilience, mindset, and insane determination.

Whether you’re into sport, rehab stories, or just love hearing people who’ve pushed the limits, you'll love this chat with "The Bulldog"

00:00 – Intro: Brooke MacDonald aka "The Bulldog"

02:15 – The niche challenge of mountain biking and chasing sponsors

03:35 – Why Red Bull is more than just a logo sponsor

05:30 – Early life: Rugby dreams vs mountain bike obsession

10:15 – Turning pro as teen: $125K contract + early career grind

15:12 – Financial lessons: Millionaire by 30 and no regrets?

22:00 – The crash that changed everything: 2019 World Champs

27:40 – 5 hours on the mountain in agony: The rescue disaster

34:15 – “Am I paralyzed?” Coming to terms with a broken back

41:00 – Learning to walk again – and race again

46:50 – Survivor’s guilt at Burwood Spinal Unit

50:45 – How mindset, discipline and quiet confidence fueled recovery

56:15 – Getting back on the bike: Fear, setbacks & progress

1:03:40 – What’s next after racing? Business, adrenaline & legacy

1:08:20 – Final reflections: Mental toughness, pride & how Brooke wants to be remembered

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and powerful episode, K’Lee opens up like never before. From becoming a pop star at 14 to surviving an abusive relationship and being held at gunpoint, K’Lee’s story is one of strength, resilience, and redemption.

She shares the truth behind early fame, the music industry’s dark side, her battle with postpartum depression, and nearly losing her baby — twice. We also explore how she rebuilt her life through radio, family, and personal growth.

This is one of the most gripping and heartfelt conversations I've ever had on the podcast.

🎤 Topics include:

• The cost of early fame
• Surviving domestic violence and trauma
• What it’s really like to be held at gunpoint
• Postpartum depression and NICU heartbreak
• Raising six kids while running businesses and hosting a radio show
• Powerful messages for young women, men, and parents

Whether you knew her as K’Lee the pop star, or are meeting her for the first time — this conversation will stay with you.

👀 Watch to the end for a powerful message to her children — it’s unforgettable.***

Before the episode begins, I just want to give flowers to my long-term sponsors- Generate Kiwisaver.

These guys win awards all the time. That’s because they are great at what they do, which is Generating wealth for their clients.

When it comes to your retirement savings, no one wants to be caught short, so do your future self a favour and get some FREE No Obligation KiwiSaver advice from Generate.

Generate have a track record of delivering strong long-term performance for their members – which will really pay off by the time you reach retirement.

And they’ve got advisers across the country to help make sure your investment is set up best for you.

Head to https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom/

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.