When a player is as consistently excellent as Steve Smith, you can be inoculated to that quality. It might be doubly so when the batter in question is as unconventional as Smith. His Sydney hundred might be remembered more for his ticks than then manner of the runs scored. Today, Dean Bilton joins us to unpack the perfect imperfection of the Ashes best since Bradman. Featured: Dean Bilton, cricket writer, ABC Sport.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Manchester United spent more than 400-million pounds in fourteen months to try and support the Ruben Amorim vision... only to decide it was the wrong course of action. Craig Foster unpacks the latest chapter of a once mighty empire now stuck in a doom loop.  Featured: Craig Foster, ex-Australia footballer and Stan Sport analyst. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

At times, Thanasi Kokkinakis has wondered if his career was dead and buried. Now with a deceased man's achilles tendon holding his shoulder in place, the 29-year-old is rediscovering the joy of of competition alongside old friend Nick Kyrgios. There was a time when the pair might have thought a second-tier doubles competition was beneath them. Now, the duo are savouring every opportunity. Featured: John Millman, ex-ATP veteran.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Socceroos' 2005 World Cup qualifier win over Uruguay is arguably Australia's greatest sports moment. Mark Schwarzer was at the centre of it and has just been named to Sports Australia's Hall of Fame. The goalkeeper gives us some vivid recollections from his playing days before expanding on the challenges this generation is facing. The double-edged sword of the creation of the A-League, the changing face of the game and much more.  Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In 2024, young Australian Dyson Daniels was in the second year of his NBA career and struggling to make a mark. He had a nagging sense he wasn't quite being true to himself. A trade from New Orleans to Atlanta has coincided with a meteoric rise. The 22-year-old opens up in an expansive interview. Featured: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In this interview from the archives, Molly Picklum calls in from Fiji to talk about partying in a wetsuit, the big names who reached out to congratulate her, how she steeled herself after an early stumble in the final, how she wants to dominate the sport for years to come and tequila. If you want to hear what it sounds like for a 22-year-old surfer to realise her dream in Hawaii, then this is the episode for you. Try and listen to this without smiling. Featured: Molly Picklum, surfing world champion. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Tony Armstrong considers himself a cynical person, which is why it's a somewhat ironic that he's emerged from his latest project with renewed optimism. The former AFL player has spent the past year researching the scope of racism in sport and society and seeking to do something about it. He’s seen the failed anti-racism campaigns, the well meaning but toothless initiatives and Armstrong has had enough. Tony has travelled the globe to speak to influential athletes, tech pioneers and grass roots advocates to chart a way forward in an increasingly insidious space. Featured: Tony Armstrong, ex-AFL footballer and sports broadcaster. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Scottie Scheffler has done almost everything in golf. The world number one has multiple majors. He has millions in career earnings. And yet, he told us this year he does not find it fulfilling. Ahead of the British Open, a bit exasperated, he asked the press pack "what's the point?!" We're taking his surprising, sprawling, introspective press conference and getting renowned mental coach Ben Crowe to break it down for us. Crowe has worked with Ash Barty, Steph Gilmore, Dustin Martin and many more. He has some advice for Scheffler. Featured: Ben Crowe, mindset coach. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Unbox what we've picked as the four biggest Australian sports stories of 2025. Including a massive Australian at the centre of arguably the biggest sports event of the year, a homophobic scandal in the AFL, an Aussie coach charting new territory on the world stage, as well as a historic and bitter rivalry delivering a surprising new chapter.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

We are getting to the pointy end of our countdown and that means BIG stories. Perhaps Australia's most famous athlete facing jail time in an overseas prison system. An emotional tale involving a father, a son and an enormous game of football. An entire state split over the future of football in the area. A competitor achieving what no woman had achieved in nearly 150 years. There is a lot to unpack in our penultimate episode of this series.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

One Australian champion announced her arrival, while another absolute superstar shocked us with an early retirement. A flawed genius shook up the NRL with a sustained display of brilliance, with a dash of insanity. While the one of the longest suffering fanbases in Aussie sport earned the ultimate redemption.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In part two of our countdown we have some fascinating stories. One Australian went to the precipice of greatness but stumbled at the last moment. A player poaching scandal involving two of Australia's biggest footy clubs. A generational talent arrived on the international stage. There was heartbreak for a famous Australian sporting family.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

What was your favourite Australian sports story of 2025? We are counting down the 20 biggest Aussies tales of the year. In part one there's AFL excellence, a woman who went from doing the dishes at a cafe to top of the world, history in Aussie rules and a beloved national team that discovered its mojo and lost it again.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Australian Open is less than a month away and if you're anything like us, you might feel like you've lost track of what's going on in tennis. Ex-Davis Cup Captain Wally Masur is here to help. He gets us across the Sincaraz rivalry, Novak's push for one more slam, the Nick Kyrgios situation and Aryna Sabalenka's dominance of the women's game. PLUS, a vibe check on the broader Aussie contingent. Featured: Wally Masur, ex-Davis Cup Captain.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The point of technology in sport officiating is to eliminate howlers, not create them. The company in charge of 'snicko' has admitted its team incorrectly saved Alex Carey from dismissal, allowing the Australian to score a hundred. Now, confidence in the umpiring tool is unravelling. Can cricket trust 'snicko'? Featured: Ben Cameron, Executive Producer, ABC Cricket. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

There are comeback stories and then there is Philip Rivers. Five years after retiring from the NFL, the 44-year-old grandfather strapped on the cleats to try and drag his old team into the playoffs. His reasoning for taking on the challenge was something from cult TV show 'Friday Night Lights'. Featured: Phil Murphy, NFL reporter, ESPN.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Anthony Joshua joins us ahead of a bout that will deliver him a fortune, but has raised uneasy questions. When he takes on YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, he will be among the biggest favourites in the history of the sport. How does the Englishman reconcile the industry's concerns for Paul's safety? Featured: Anthony Joshua, champion boxer.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

With Brendon McCullum tripling down on the Bazball mentality of preparation, there's a sense that the Adelaide Test could provide the definitive moment in this cricketing movement. The end of a great unravelling or the start of a comeback? Barney Ronay joins us to answer that question, talk about airport run-ins and Jofra Archer's unenviable task. Featured: Barney Ronay, chief sportswriter, The Guardian.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

US pundits have variously described the Socceroos as 'smug' and a 'lay-up'. What do our players think about those comments and the draw more broadly? We spoke to Jackson Irvine about the campaign and it's clear the Australians are zeroing in on their clash with the hosts. Featured: Jackson Irvine, Socceroos veteran.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In his quiet moments, we wonder how Oscar Piastri will reflect on season 2025. Finishing third in the F1 title aged 24 is a big deal. But, he was also the world title favourite before a series of 'what if' moments saw him fall agonisingly short. The conversation for the Australian now turns to 'what now?' Is this the moment that lights a fire under him or something that erodes his self-belief? Jennie Gow joins us to unpack Piastri's season and help us understand the 2026 dynamic at McLaren. Featured: Jennie Gow, F1 reporter, BBC.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter