A sad note this month with the industry saying goodbye to Johnny Young

A sad note this month with the industry saying goodbye to a major figure with the death of Johnny Young, aged 79. He was a huge entertainment name in the era, a pop star, songwriter and the founder/host of the famous Saturday Night family entertainment "Young Talent Time". It was an absolute TV treasure in those years from 1971 'til '88. In fact, Saturday was pretty-much a write-off in those days. I mean, by the time we watched "Hey Hey it's Saturday" on 9, JOK'S 6 O'Clock Rock on Aunty, then Ten's "Young Talent Time" you hardly had time left to fit in a salad sandwich.

I first ran in to Johnny when he was doing Drive on 3XY in Melbourne. I was his newsreader and we hit it off immediately. He really took to me, nicknaming me "Frank the Tank" and was always very supportive. Strangely our paths never crossed again 'til one afternoon in the 80s at 2UW/MIX when I got a phone call. It was JY who happened to hear me read the 2PM news while waiting for an overseas flight at Mascot. We had a really great talk and promised to sit down over a coffee when he returned. Well, never happened. So JY, sorry about the coffee. I would have really loved to have talked one last time.

For those who lived through those years of rock 'n' roll in the 60s and 70s I offer you Johnny Young's famous line, "BE THERE OR BE SQUARE."

As for our dear old radio trade... Pretty average in the latest Sydney survey with SMOOTH FM number one overall, on 13.5, leading the Big Talker 2GB 11.2. I think there was a general expectation that GB would start hitting back in the overall category but Smooth is hanging on to a pretty decent advantage. GB remains the big boy in Breakfast. One of my old employers, 2 DAY FM, lifted its returns this month, up .7 to 4.9. It's a tough business.

It's 144 years since one of great moments in Australian sport became cemented in our history. Actually it has transcended sport to become part of our national DNA. We're taking you back to The Oval in London on August the 29th, 1882 where England is hosting those pesky colonial upstarts from Downunder in a one-off cricket test. The home side is set 85 in their second innings to win, a fairly easy target for the Poms really. But "The Demon" Fred Spofforth has other ideas. As the Aussies start heading out on to the ground, Fred looks everyone in the eye and announces, "Boys, this can be won," and Fred leads the way, taking seven wickets to give him 14 for 90 in the match. It is Spofforth's match and he becomes the celebrated "Demon". Modern writers have given to calling Dennis Lillee the "Demon" but this is essentially a tribute to Fred. There is only one Demon in Australian Cricket. The defeat sends shockwaves through the English establishment and the Sporting Times runs a mock Memorial for "English Cricket which died at the Oval on 29 August, 1882. The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia". So the Ashes are born and Fred becomes a legend. This is one of those events that made Australia AUSTRALIA. You can pay tribute to the Great Man if you choose to do so by visiting his statue at the SCG.



An ideal time to pay tribute to another one of the great names of cricket, Garry Sobers, who left us recently. Ian Chappell summarized it best saying Don Bradman was the greatest batsman of them all and that Garry Sobers was the greatest cricketer of them all. He could open the bowling with his fast mediums, come on first change with his medium pace swingers and then switch to spinners with his left-arm tweakers. He fielded superbly and when he picked up the bat he was the Cricketing God of the Caribbean. He also marked the end of a wonderful era. When Sir Garfield retired we said goodbye the days of Sobers, Benaud, Frankie Worrell, Cowdrey, Bobby Simpson, the beloved Davo, Wally Grout, Harvey, O'Neill and Slasher Mackay. Things were different when they all moved on. We never got the feeling back. Excellent innings, Garry Sobers.

One of the saddest sports stories of 2026 is Sam Kerr's decision to leave Chelsea – the pinnacle of womens' soccer in the world – and transfer across to a third tier competition in the US. Obviously the money is good and there are family issues under consideration but when fate gives you the rare qualities that Sam Kerr has you also have an obligation to look at your legacy and place in the game's history. Sam was made by somebody just to kick soccer goals. It's a gift. She can slam them in from 35 metres out like a bazooka, slip them a metre past the keeper like she's shelling peas or hit some of the most glorious headers into the back of the net that we've seen in the game. Can you imagine another two years of Sam at Chelsea... Another 30 to 40 goals and more Championship medals? Sam Kerr could end her career in 2028 as the greatest womens' player of them all. You don't get those years back... Grab 'em while they're there.

The Coalition has made its position totally clear on doing a deal with Pauline Hanson in a bid to bring down Labor at the next Federal poll. They are going after Pauline... Attacking her very publically and repeating their mantra not to work with One Nation. That almost certainly assures Anthony Albanese another term in office and ends the chance of getting in a rehearsal at the Victorian election scheduled for later in this year. The thing is that One Nation is doing extraordinarily well in the Victorian polls considering that it has little infrastructure in the state and has only just selected candidates. Now, the Libs and Nationals do have excellent networks ready to fire for the state poll. Sadly, they just don't have much else. The two parties – especially the Libs – are on the nose in the states and at the federal level. The Nationals still have a reasonable public image but Coalition leader Angus Taylor is almost invisible in the public arena. He just has no presence. The Coalition's fear is that if they buddy-up to Pauline they risk losing their political identity but the sad fact is they've pretty much lost it already... Without Pauline. Labour is in even bigger strife with the dramatic decision to sack their Premier. Okay, it's positive for the Coalition in the southern state but wouldn't you want to do a preference deal with Pauline just to be doubly sure? Especially after she just rolled Labour in a shock by-election result in WA.

I totally love the saying, "One sandwich short of a picnic," describing somebody who's a bit of a dill, brain not operating at 100%. So inventive and really funny with a cruel edge... It just has to be Australian, right? Nope! Sorry. Apparently of British origin and dating no further back than the 1970s and 80s. It has also given us a myriad of variations including, "A few spanners short of a toolbox, "Two bricks short of a load," and, "A few 'roos loose in the top paddock," which absolutely HAS to be Australian.

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING

"...Some enchanted evening
When you find your true love
When you feel her call you
Across a crowded room
Then run to her side
And make her your own
For all of your life
You may dream all alone
Once you have found her, never let her go
Once you have found her, never let her go"

(The showstopper from the 1949 Broadway hit "South Pacific" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It is possibly the greatest song performed in the history of the Great White Way).