Declan Byrne

If it was any other game, Lachlan Lam says he might turn it down, but playing for the PNG Kumuls is something Lam never wants to miss. Having captained Papua New Guinea this Pacific Championships, the son of a gun chats to Sam & Tinirau live from Fiji about his ties to his culture, what it's like seeing the local PNG players grow and his hopes for the future of their national game. Sam, Tinirau and Shellie also wrap up the last of the Pac Champs plus the Rugby Union spring tours dish up some winners and losers for the Pasifika teams.

Despite Valerie Mai's family not wanting her to play AFL at first, Mai turned them around and has now represented the PNG Flames on an international level. Mai is also actively developing the game in her homeland, helped write a children's book on her cousin Hewago Oea and is about to play in the Pacific Cup in Australia for the Flames. Sam Wykes is also joined by Fijian Lailanie Burns and Papua New Guinean Jamie Haro to chat about basketball, football, boxing and plenty more.

Will Hopoate left Rugby League at age 19 after winning an NRL premiership to go on his Mormon mission and he doesn't regret it one bit. In the first episode of Sam & T's Summer Sitdowns, Will Hopoate talks about the "organised chaos" of his upbringing, the challenges and rewards of his Mormon mission and why he'll never forget the pre-World Cup Tonga camp in 2017.

With one year left of school, Onitoni Large is already signed to the Manly Sea Eagles and spent his Summer school holidays doing an NRL pre-season instead of hanging with mates. The Tongan, Indian, Australian is setting his sights on a footy career and so we hear about his dreams, what it was like training with Manly and what his last year of school entails before embarking on his rugby league journey. Sam's giving us a full preview of how the Drua look in 2025, Tinirau runs through the next four teams on his NRL ladder predictor and we also hear about his ankle breaking moves on the weekend in the 9s.

Switching sports isn't easy but for two Pasifika men, trying to make it in the NFL via a 10 week trial camp is a challenge and a chance worth taking. With backgrounds in rugby league and union, we chat to Samoan Laki Tasi and Fijian Jeneiro Wakeham who have given American Football a shot via the NFL International Player Pathway Program and will soon find out their fate. Priestley Habru gives us plenty of news from the Solomon Islands as well as across the Pacific and from Kiribati, Teitirake Kabaua does the same to help keep you in the loop.

Penina Pasifika's Margaret Manase defied the tradition of a Tongan woman

After debuting in 2012 and playing 60 times for the Tillies, Emily Gielnik fell out of favour recently due to injury and coaching decisions but is stoked to be back in the Matildas set up. Talking to Declan Byrne on ‘The Saturday Sledge’ Gielnik is loving the fresh start that new coach Joe Montemurro offers, why she’s pushing for the home Asian Cup and also what she learned about herself after going on The Amazing Race.

Liam Talivaa believes God has brought him to boxing and he is rising the ranks fast after only taking up the sport during Covid. We hear about how he proudly represents his Samoan culture in his fighting, why he has put 'God's Son' on his shorts and what big goals he has for the future. As well, Lailanie Burnes brings us plenty of Fijian sporting action and Cynthia Seda is in to chat Solomon Islands sport and beyond.

The 'Player Of The Match' in the First Nations Pasifika game against the Lions was Charlie Gamble who was over the moon to represent his proud Tongan culture and his Mum. Looking more like a Greek or Italian "Mario" in his own words, he's used to having to convince people he's Tongan, but connecting with other Pacific Islander and Indigenous players was a total highlight of the recent week in camp. We also hear about Gamble's unlikely journey to the top via amateur rugby and which nation he wants to play for on an international level. Will Hopoate joins Sam Wykes to chat the new R360 project, the scary Panthers prospect and there's plenty of news and results in women's footy with Shellie Long.

It's been a historic week in the AFL with Mitch Brown becoming the first male player coming out as gay or bisexual and Fremantle Dockers captain Alex Pearce talks about Brown's bravery and how it is hopefully a "real step forward" for the code. Chatting to Declan Byrne on 'The Saturday Sledge' Pearce talks about the accessibility and safety of the game, his own reflection on leadership and footy club culture and why the AFLW has helped advance the conversation in the men's competition.