The Howie Games

LiSTNR

<p>Where the biggest names in the world of sport go one-on-one with sports journalist Mark Howard. From ultimate highs to tear-jerking lows, Howie lifts the lid on the real stories behind the headlines. He sits down with the biggest names in Australian &amp; world sport, finding out how they started out, what makes them tick, how they deal with the big wins and the big losses, and how they take on sport and life from here.</p>

  • 42 minutes 31 seconds
    263: Tom Clarkson (Part B)

    A life lived on the road with Formula 1. It’s part history lesson, part travel diary, and part behind-the-scenes pass to the Formula 1 paddock, from someone who has been there for it all.

    Respected F1 journalist, broadcaster and podcaster Tom Clarkson has seen the sport from the inside for decades.

    With more than 500 consecutive Grands Prix attended since 1998, Clarkson has travelled the world alongside Formula 1’s modern evolution.

    From the drivers who left the biggest mark, the circuits that stand above the rest and the press conferences that lit up the paddock — Clarkson shares stories from the road, including regular meetings with former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

    Plus, the boys unpack Oscar Piastri’s Melbourne weekend, the pressure cooker of the modern paddock, and the global surge of Formula 1.

    And then there’s the future. New regulations have arrived, plus the Audi Revolut F1 Team joins the grid, there's new power units, and sustainable fuels engineered by bp set to help shape the next era of the sport.

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    A huge thanks to Tommy for stopping by!

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 48 seconds
    263: Tom Clarkson (Part A)

    A life lived on the road with Formula 1. It’s part history lesson, part travel diary, and part behind-the-scenes pass to the Formula 1 paddock, from someone who has been there for it all.

    Respected F1 journalist, broadcaster and podcaster Tom Clarkson has seen the sport from the inside for decades.

    With more than 500 consecutive Grands Prix attended since 1998, Clarkson has travelled the world alongside Formula 1’s modern evolution.

    From the drivers who left the biggest mark, the circuits that stand above the rest and the press conferences that lit up the paddock — Clarkson shares stories from the road, including regular meetings with former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

    Plus, the boys unpack Oscar Piastri’s Melbourne weekend, the pressure cooker of the modern paddock, and the global surge of Formula 1.

    And then there’s the future. New regulations have arrived, plus the Audi Revolut F1 Team joins the grid, there's new power units, and sustainable fuels engineered by bp set to help shape the next era of the sport.

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    A huge thanks to Tommy for stopping by!

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 12 minutes 21 seconds
    263: Tom Clarkson (Player Profile)

    A temporary break from normal programming for a special and very timely, F1 podcast.

    Join Howie and respected F1 journalist, podcast host (and Hollywood star) Tom Clarkson for his Player Profile, before we dive deep into life on the road covering the relentless Formula 1 schedule.

    It’s a great catch-up between mates as they unpack all things from back at the track (plus the heartbreak of the opening race at Albert Park).

    Let's have some fun. 

    Tommy even answers his OWN question.

    This special episode is all thanks to our friends at bp, the technology partner of the Audi Revolut F1 Team.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 9 minutes
    262: Matthew Mitcham (Player Profile)

    Matt is a joy! He is honest and open... and fun!

    He is an Olympic gold medallist, a storyteller, and one of Australia’s most unforgettable characters with one of the most incredible journey's ever told on the Howie Games.

    He brings energy and honesty to his entire chat… but first, enjoy the laughs in this Player Profile.

    Time to dive in.

    *

    Catch Matt in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which is at the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney NOW. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 March 2026, 2:01 pm
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    5: Vale Dennis Cometti ❤️

    This was the very first episode of The Howie Games ever recorded - with the greatest voice Australian sport has ever known, Dennis Cometti. Farewell to the very best. Our thoughts are with the Cometti family on this terribly sad day. ❤️

    -------------

    #TheHowieGames | Dennis Cometti. The doyen of Australian sports commentary. A man with the rare ability to match the perfect sporting moment with the perfect sporting comment. As he prepares to call his last game of AFL, Dennis provides us with some incredible insight into the man behind the mic.

    -------------

    Follow The HowieGames on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/

    Follow The Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 March 2026, 4:43 am
  • 34 minutes 21 seconds
    🇱🇰🇮🇳 World Cup Tour Diaries: Episode 4. “We Haven’t Come To Make Up The Numbers”

    Rain halts the Super Eight opener in Colombo - and the tour diaries take an unexpected turn.

    In Episode 4, Howie catches up with Pakistan’s cult hero Usman Tariq after his breakout World Cup performance, before heading south for surf, street food and a Sri Lankan detour with Finchy and the crew.

    Then comes one of the great underdog stories of this tournament - Italy’s Ben Manenti. From regional qualifiers to Eden Gardens, Manenti reflects on taking on England, topping the World Cup’s total impact rankings, and what it means for associate cricket around the world.

    00:00 – Rain At Premadasa Stadium

    01:24 – Usman Tariq On ‘The Delayer'

    06:33 – Tour Bus Chaos Begins

    10:00 – Street Food Sri Lanka

    14:13 – Italy’s World Cup Story - Ben Manenti joins the Tour Diaries.

    17:58 – Qualifying For The World Cup

    20:43 – Taking On England & Number One Impact Player

    30:13 – Car Breakdown To Kandy

    31:40 – Cricket Amid Global Uncertainty

    33:20 – Homeward Bound!

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 March 2026, 3:44 am
  • 26 minutes 49 seconds
    🇱🇰🇮🇳 World Cup Tour Diaries: Episode 3. Tony Greig's Commentary Advice

    Howie’s Tour Diaries roll on with long drives, World Cup chaos and a detour into cricket commentary royalty.

    Pommie Mbangwa reflects on Zimbabwe’s surge and shares brilliant memories of sitting alongside the voices we grew up with - Bill Lawry, Tony Greig and Richie Benaud.

    From 1999 World Cup nostalgia to commentary box gold and schedule changes at every turn, the tour keeps delivering!

    00:00 – Sunrise in Colombo, itinerary revealed
    00:49 – Australia’s disastrous World Cup campaign
    02:16 – On the road to Kandy with Pommie
    05:30 – Zimbabwe’s rise & global reaction
    10:28 – 1999 World Cup memories resurface
    12:31 – Commentary box legends: Tony, Bill & Richie
    22:32 – Oman v Australia toss & match begins
    23:31 – Schedule chaos & India plans scrapped
    27:09 – What’s coming in Episode Four

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 February 2026, 8:30 pm
  • 19 minutes 27 seconds
    261: Joe McGuire (Part B)

    The star of The College Diaries is in studio! Joe McGuire and Howie unite for their first ever meeting in person for a raw, honest, and revealing debrief of life inside the Ohio State system.

    A young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

    Joe opens up on the moment every Buckeye dreams of, taking down “The Team Up North”, in one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport. A win that validates everything… until the brutal reality of football hits. Because just weeks later, after a near flawless season, it all slips away. The emptiness. The silence. The sudden end to a brotherhood that felt unbreakable.

    We dive into the College Diaries journey — the behind-the-scenes grind, the production, the pressure and the surreal rise of college athletes into global figures. 

    Joe really is a brilliant young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

    *

    You would have heard in the intros, we have Olympic Gold Medallist Matt Mitcham coming up on the show... catch him in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which heads to the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney from 26 February. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 February 2026, 2:01 pm
  • 38 minutes 22 seconds
    261: Joe McGuire (Part A)

    The star of The College Diaries is in studio! Joe McGuire and Howie unite for their first ever meeting in person for a raw, honest, and revealing debrief of life inside the Ohio State system.

    A young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

    Joe opens up on the moment every Buckeye dreams of, taking down “The Team Up North”, in one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport. A win that validates everything… until the brutal reality of football hits. Because just weeks later, after a near flawless season, it all slips away. The emptiness. The silence. The sudden end to a brotherhood that felt unbreakable.

    We dive into the College Diaries journey — the behind-the-scenes grind, the production, the pressure and the surreal rise of college athletes into global figures. 

    Joe really is a brilliant young Aussie chasing the biggest dream there is, and he has been so good at letting us in on every detail. 

    *

    You would have heard in the intros, we have Olympic Gold Medallist Matt Mitcham coming up on the show... catch him in the Off-Broadway hit play AFTERGLOW which heads to the Eternity Playhouse in Sydney from 26 February. For tickets and more information, go to afterglowtheplay.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 February 2026, 2:01 pm
  • 26 minutes 19 seconds
    🇱🇰🇮🇳 World Cup Tour Diaries: Episode 2. "The Rise Of The Delayer!"

    Australia’s World Cup hopes are officially over - but the tour diaries roll on.

    In Episode 2, Howie leaves Kandy and heads to Colombo as rain, results and a disastrous loss end Australia’s campaign. But with a mic in hand and a game to call, there’s no time to dwell.

    From a five-star breakfast buffet with Aaron Finch and Wasim Akram, to commentary box chats with Waqar Younis and the incredible story behind Pakistan’s newest star, this is a behind-the-scenes look at life inside a World Cup.

    00:00 – Leaving Kandy For Colombo

    01:47 – Colombo Arrival & Disastrous News

    04:25 – Breakfast Buffet Madness

    08:04 – Wasim Akram At Breakfast

    09:03 – Finchy’s Spicy Food Lesson

    13:11 – Match Day At The SSC

    15:10 – Waqar On Pakistan Pressure

    18:39 – Inside The Urdu Commentary Box

    20:47 – From Sous Chef To Superstar - The Rise of Usman "The Delayer" Tariq

    25:45 – Tour Rolls Back To Kandy

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 February 2026, 4:48 am
  • 26 minutes 38 seconds
    🇱🇰🇮🇳 World Cup Tour Diaries: Episode 1. “Welcome to the ride!”

    The 2026 Tour Diaries begin in transit before diving straight into the chaos of the subcontinent.

    In Episode 1, Howie takes you from long-haul flights to the madness of Sri Lankan traffic and the build-up to a do-or-die World Cup clash between Australia and Sri Lanka - a match he’s calling from the commentary box as the tournament pressure hits early.

    Aussie champ Aaron Finch also joins the diary for a chat about touring the subcontinent, what it’s really like inside an Aussie campaign, and what it's like to lose to Zimbabwe!

    00:00 - Tour begins

    04:15 - Travel day chaos - Long flights, transit stops and arrival into Sri Lanka.

    08:55 - First impressions of Sri Lanka - Five-hour drive to Kandy and settling in ahead of game day.

    12:30 - Do-or-die for Australia - Why the Sri Lanka clash is crucial after the Zimbabwe loss.

    16:20 - Aaron Finch joins - Finchy on touring the subcontinent and Australia’s must-win match.

    17:50 - The pressure of the coin toss & the best voice in World Cricket - Howie prepares to call the game alongside Angelo Mathews for the first time.

    20:30 - Match fallout

    *** 

    Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ 

    Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    19 February 2026, 8:50 pm
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