Produced by Australia’s sporting magazine, Inside Sport, the show has been around since about April 2017, when then-Inside Sport online editor Anthony Brand lent across the corridor from his desk to our resident rugby league tragic James Smith and said: “James, we should do a rugby league podcast.”

LISTEN TO DEAD IN GOAL HERE NOW:

   CLICK HERE TO LISTEN VIA ITUNES  

Despite the fact Anthony is a Manly Sea Eagles fan, James agreed. What followed was passionate, weekly discussion about current news and issues surrounding rugby league, until Jeff took over Anthony’s role a few months later … Then it became all about robo-refs, the possibility of rugby league games one day being played on oil rigs, trophies that interlock to form bigger trophies, and all sorts of other out-there stuff.

To try to keep it rugby league-real and the slightest bit sensible, this year James went about chasing up some of rugby league’s finest folk for interviews for the podcast. These people didn’t have to be superstar players – don’t get us wrong, some of them were – but they all had to be interesting and represent a different corner of the rugby league world.

What followed were fantastic chats with a range of guests. Appearing on the pod this year were former Hunter Mariner, Dragon and Sharks winger Nick Zisti, journeyman enforcer Kevin Campion, Illawarra Steelers legend Brett Docherty and young Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary.

 

Also on the guest list this season was Aussie NFL hopeful and Rabbitohs junior Jordan Mailata, NRL 360 host and Bronco and Bear Ben Ikin, North Sydney legend Greg Florimo, Penrith Panthers great Royce Simmons, NRLW boss Tiffany Slater, respected rugby league author Alan Whiticker, NITV head of sport and Aussie rugby megastar Mark Ella and out and out rugby league legend Ron Coote.

A spokesperson for James and Jeff said the two recording amateurs would like to thank each and every one of Dead In Goal’s listeners for their loyalty and support across 2018.

“James and Jeff would like to thank each and every one of Dead In Goal’s listeners,” the spokesperson said, echoing word-for-word the previous sentence in this story.

“The answers from the listeners have gotten fruity at times, but that’s been the general idea of the podcast – to offer something different … an alternate way of thinking to the mainstream media offerings out there,” said the spokesperson.

Each week, the two aforementioned co-hosts have selfishly discussed “the most rugby league things” they did in the week since their last podcast, before delving into the league thing “they’re most looking forward to”.

For their final Dead In Goal podcast of the year, the boys decided to let their loyal listeners in on the game - by asking them to share with the word the most rugby league thing they got up to in 2018, and what they’re most looking forward to in 2019. Once again, the audience delivered - with some hilarious answers.

Happy listening, and all the best for the summer …