#170: Brad Hogg (Cricket) Fun First, Pressure Second

In this episode of Scoreboard, Chris Titley sits down with former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg for a fast moving and deeply insightful conversation about cricket, mindset and staying connected to the joy of the game. From country cricket in Western Australia to representing Australia on the world stage, Brad reflects on the lessons that shaped both his career and his outlook on life. Brad shares stories from growing up around country cricket, where the game was built on participation, community and giving everyone a chance. Those early lessons around teamwork and belonging stayed with him throughout his career and became central to how he viewed success at the highest level. He explains how putting the team first ultimately transformed his career after a difficult period in the late 1990s when he lost sight of what had made him successful in the first place. The conversation also dives into pressure and performance. Brad opens up about being dropped from the WA side, the honest feedback from Justin Langer that forced him to look inward and the mindset shift that followed. Rather than obsessing over playing for Australia, he learned to focus on improving one small thing each day, whether that was fitness, bowling accuracy or preparation. It became a philosophy that not only rebuilt his cricket career but still guides his life today. There is plenty of humour throughout as well. From facing Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson in the nets to stories about Jimmy Maher, Andrew Symonds and the energy of Australian dressing rooms, Brad reflects on why having fun was one of his greatest performance tools. For him, relaxed players perform better, connect better and handle pressure better. Beyond cricket, Brad speaks passionately about helping younger players grow, protecting the culture of Australian cricket and ensuring the game remains connected to the fans and communities that built it. He also shares concerns around modern professionalism, the pressures of franchise cricket and the challenge players now face balancing financial decisions with the dream of Test cricket. 🔗 Show notesThis episode was Powered by Swyftx — Where can crypto take you?👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://swyftx.com/about/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join over 1.5m users in Australia and NZThe Do You Budget Segment is powered by PocketSmith.PocketSmith is personal finance software made for the household CFO — the one keeping the family budget on track, making sure the bills are paid, and the big goals are in sight. PocketSmith’s got a special offer for Scoreboard listeners: get 50% off your first two months of PocketSmith’s Foundation plan. 👉  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.pocketsmith.com/scoreboard/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More info:📌 More episodes: ⁠⁠www.scoreboardpodcast.com⁠⁠🎥 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Scoreboardpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📩 Partnerships: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]