Tears, tantrums and epic Capper sledges: The most memorable Open Mike episodes ranked 1-30

Open Mike: Mark 'Jacko' Jackson, Warwick Capper and Scott Cummings.
Open Mike: Mark 'Jacko' Jackson, Warwick Capper and Scott Cummings.Source: FOX SPORTS
Ben Waterworth from Fox Sports@bjwaterworth

The 234th and final episode of popular, long-running Fox Footy show Open Mike will air after host Mike Sheahan decided to retire from television.

Since Open Mike began in 2009, Sheahan has gained the trust of his guests to tell their stories.

There was the outlandish Warwick Capper and a wounded Anthony Stevens.

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Merv Keane detailed a tumultuous 25-day period in which he lost his wife and daughter.

And, of course, there was ‘Jacko’.

Sheahan, the producers who’ve worked on the show and some members of the foxfooty.com.au team have compiled and ranked the 30 most memorable Open Mike episodes.

‘The Wiz’ Warwick Capper takes out first place. Picture: Justin BriertySource: News Corp Australia

1. WARWICK CAPPER (2013)

If you thought Capper was a joy to watch on the field, just watch Capper’s Open Mike interview back.

Widely regarded as the program’s most entertaining episode ever, the flamboyant former forward delivered just as many highlights during this 30-minute special as he did during his career at Sydney and Brisbane.

Speaking about his former Bears coach Peter Knights, Capper told Sheahan: “He couldn’t coach pigs to be dirty.”

Capper opened up on how he hired a bodyguard — “His name was Brian, that’s why I remember it” — to shadow him at games after he received death threats following his sensational move from the Swans to the Bears.

As charismatic as Capper was among fans, he said that same popularity wasn’t shared by his Brisbane teammates.

“Because I was the highest paid and the glamour full-forward they didn’t want to know me,” he said.

“They hated it and I didn’t ask for it. They wouldn’t pass the ball to me.

“Brad Hardie used to do 70m torps. He’d rather put it out on the full than pass to me.”

2. ANTHONY STEVENS (2015)

So big was this episode that foxfooty.com.au ran a live blog to cover the pre-recorded episode.

In a rare post-footy career interview, Stevens opened up for the first time about his ex-wife’s affair with former North Melbourne teammate Wayne Carey in 2002 — a story that rocked the club and destroyed a friendship.

Stevens, at the time, said Carey had never apologised to him face-to-face — a claim later refuted by Carey.

The dual premiership Kangaroo said he had suspicions about Carey’s affair with then-wife Kelli, before ultimately finding out himself.

“I had known for a while, but until you can actually catch the individuals, it is pretty big speculation to query someone about that,” Stevens said.

“In the end, I was the one that actually caught the two of them that night.”

Anthony Stevens was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Picture: Bianca De MarchiSource: News Corp Australia

3. ALAN STONEHAM (2014)

Stoneham reflected on his rollercoaster 200-game career with Footscray and Essendon.

But this episode is remembered for Stoneham’s recollections about the murder conviction given to his son, James Stoneham, and the loss of Adriana Donato, who was James’ former girlfriend.

Stoneham harrowingly reflected on his son’s mental health issues, the moment he found out about Adriana’s death via a mate of James’ and how close he was to Adriana.

“She was like a daughter. We miss her everyday,” said a teary Stoneham.

“He (James) knows he’s got some serious time to do, but he’s going to make the most of it — and that’s what he’s doing at the moment.”

4. MERV KEANE (2018)

In one of the bravest and most gut-wrenching episodes, Keane stoically opened up on the trauma of losing his daughter and wife within the space of 25 days.

Keane, a three-time premiership Tiger, said the events of 2017 were “still pretty raw” and he wished the two great women in his life “had another 50 years together”.

Keane said his daughter Emily was an “outstanding” doctor and a “fierce competitor” in everything in life before she fell sick during her early 30s.

“Prior to that she was healthy, happy, a hard worker — all that sort of stuff. (But) in those four or five years, Emily and our family went through hell at various stages and at various degrees,” Keane said.

“Emily spent a lot of time crying trying to get better. I always made it my resolve that if something did happen to Emily, I would do everything in my power, as a father, to leave no stone unturned that I could help her if and when that day arrived.

“Emily had done enough crying, so I didn’t want to do anymore crying because she had done enough.”

Former Richmond VFL/AFL champion Merv Keane.Source: Supplied

5. STEVEN BAKER (2012)

One of footy’s great antagonists, Baker opened up on some of the questionable tactics he used against opponents during his 203-game career at the Saints.

The one that made the most headlines was his admission that he sharpened his boot studs prior to games to inflict a bit more pain.

“I used to file them a bit sharper and stand on their ankles,” Baker said.

“The punch in the back of the arm I love … I remember I got hit there one day and it gave me a dead arm.

“It was one I used to work on — hit them just above the elbow constantly in the same spot (I) got a few players who actually went off because their arm was too sore.”

Baker also opened up on his spiteful clash with Cats great Steve Johnson in 2010, which saw the ex-Saint cop a nine-game ban for striking and misconduct

Johnson was also suspended, rubbed out for three matches for a retaliation elbow to Baker’s head.

Seven years later, Johnson had a right of reply during his own Open Mike episode, revealing what led to his epic snap and Baker’s black eye.

“I’d broken the bone in my hand (in an earlier contest) and he’s seen that and started whacking it. After that I was in quite a bit of pain,” Johnson said.

“I went off and have seen the doctor who took me down into the rooms and told me that I’d broken my hand. I said: ‘How long am I going to miss with this?’ He said probably two or three weeks, but I’d need to have a plate inserted. I said: ‘OK, can you get me back out there?’ He said: ‘Yeah I can put a blocker in there and you’ll be able to go back out and you won’t have any feeling in your hand.’

Steve Johnson and Steven Baker got to know each other pretty well.Source: News Limited

“I thought ‘this is the best opportunity to hit him back with not a lot of consequences’.

“The ball went over our heads late in that game and he went to block my run again. I just thought ‘this is the chance’, so I threw my elbow back and flushed him in the eye.”

6. CAROLINE WILSON (2016)

The newspaper chief football writer rivals went head-to-head in one of the most highly anticipated episodes ever — and it didn’t disappoint.

Wilson, characteristically, didn’t back down when quizzed by Sheahan.

But some of her most interesting comments came around the Essendon supplements saga and James Hird’s role in it.

“People use the word vendetta and witch hunt and I think that is so insulting and so inaccurate,” she said.

“You don’t take on James Hird and his role in a drug scandal without doing your research.”

Wilson said Hird was “in it up to his ears — and not only that, but the minute it all kicked in, so too, did the self preservation”.

She added: “It still makes me sick to my stomach that a football club and its head coach knew that these guys were being taken off site and injected, sometimes twice a week, into their stomachs.”

7. DAVID PARKIN (2012)

Parkin is one of the most listenable people in footy – and that was evident by his interview with Sheahan eight years ago.

The Hawthorn premiership captain admitted he “had a glass jaw”, revealing he’d suffered 12 concussions during his career, including knocks in his 50th, 100th, 150th, and 200th games.

Parkin’s final concussion was when he was coaching Subiaco in the WAFL.

“I was knocked out at Claremont in the first five minutes. I woke up at 4 o’clock on Sunday morning, which was 26 hours later,” Parkin said. “I retired on the back of that one.”

A legendary coach too, Parkin revealed he’d essentially been appointed West Coast’s first ever coach before making “the worst decision I’ve made in football” and choosing to see out the final year of his contract with Fitzroy after a successful campaign in 1986.

David Parkin with the late Danny Frawley.Source: News Limited

Parkin stayed with the Lions but would endure the “worst year of my life, without doubt” in 1987.

“I went under as a person mentally socially, physically,” he said.

Parkin added: “Coaching does things to people … the expectation of the moment, brings about behaviour which, you think if you’re having too much to drink, you become the person that you really are. But under those extremes you do and say things that you know you shouldn’t – and that costs you for the rest of your days.”

8. JIM STYNES (2010)

Fighting cancer in early 2010, Stynes called Sheahan to let him know he was ready to be interviewed for Open Mike.

One of the questions addressed his Catholic faith and whether he ever asked God: ‘Why me?’

Stynes told Sheahan: “Not so much ‘why me’? I suppose I go, well, part of me goes ‘this is ridiculous, how could this be’?

“It’s just part of nature … we’re all susceptible to different things and, when you get the balance out, things are going to happen and illness will come your way.

“I’m not blaming anyone. I don’t blame the big fella, that’s the way I see it.

“There’s no payback; it’s just (that) these things happen and then it’s how you respond to them.”

Stynes would pass away a few years later.

Jim Stynes in 2010. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

9. MARK THOMPSON (2015)

After his one-year stint as Essendon’s senior coach, ‘Bomber’ Thompson sat down with Sheahan for an interview that confirmed his relationship with the Bombers had become incredibly fractured.

In fact, Thompson said it was a mistake to return to Essendon as an assistant coach in 2010 following a tough finish to his successful stint at Geelong that netted him two flags.

Asked if he regretted returning to the Bombers, Thompson said: “Yeah … it hasn’t been much fun. It has been hard work. I wish I had’ve got out of footy (after Geelong).”

He said there’d been “a lot of carnage” from the supplements program, adding: “(It’s) everybody’s fault. If it ever happened again, and it probably won’t, the best thing would be to get (everyone) in the room to talk rather than have your own agendas.”

Thompson also discussed his bitterness at being charged by the AFL when he had argued against it, as well as his view James Hird would be sacked as Essendon coach when the club held its best and fairest count in 2014.

Former Essendon coach Mark Thompson ahead of the 2014 finals.Source: News Corp Australia

10. PETER SCHWAB (2013)

Schwab was a three-time premiership Hawk renowned for his toughness and ability to get the best out of himself.

But in May 1997, his world was rocked when daughter Emily died of a brain tumour.

Schwab handled himself with dignity and grace as he opened up about Emily’s passing to Sheahan on Open Mike.

It’s an episode that particularly resonates with Sheahan.

“Peter Schwab was talking about losing his little girl to cancer,” Sheahan said in an interview with the Herald Sun. “I said, ‘Do you feel cheated?’

“I still struggle thinking about saying it now. It was like I had plunged a dagger into his heart. I remember this gut-wrenching look on his face and his words, “Do I feel cheated?”, as if to say how could you ask that question.

“Here’s a man talking about his little girl who was gone. So, so sad.”

Former Hawthorn coach Peter Schwab. Picture: Michael DodgeSource: News Corp Australia

11-20

11. Robert Flower (2011)

12. Mark Eustace (2015)

In a harrowing interview, the former Essendon, Richmond and Sydney player spoke about his battle with bipolar depression and the pressures on AFL footballers.

Eustace also discussed his long battle with drug use, which he described as having “become a lifestyle”.

“I probably took more drugs than you could have in a lifetime over three days,” Eustace said.

13. Tony Modra (2015)

Modra revealed he considered a “second coming” at Adelaide in 2001 — three years after he was sacked by Malcolm Blight and denied a premiership medallion.

14. Greg Williams (2011)

15. Matthew Lloyd (2016)

16. Robert Walls (2012)

17. Matthew Scarlett (2013)

In a wide-ranging interview, Scarlett addressed his famous dust-ups with St Kilda great Robert Harvey and Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne and how close he came to leaving Geelong at the end of 2006 when he threatened to walk if assistant coach Daryn Cresswell was appointed to replace Mark Thompson as senior coach.

But he also opened up on a less-publicised confrontation with teammate Steve Johnson.

“Me and Stevie Johnson nearly had a punch-on one day,” he said.

The night Hayden Ballantyne was clocked by Matthew Scarlett of the Cats. Picture: Mark DadswellSource: Getty Images

“We both weren’t happy with each other over a game. Our relationship wasn’t great early on. It’s terrific now, but we nearly had a bit of a dust-up at the club.

“I thought sometimes Stevie would be playing for himself and Stevie was annoyed with me with some of the things I was doing as well. We didn’t have a lot of respect for each other.

“I probably didn’t understand Stevie and he didn’t understand me, but once we built that relationship now we’re really good.”

18. Tom Boyd (2019)

Boyd spoke at length about his mental health struggles and reasons for quitting the game just a few months earlier.

The premiership Bulldog took time out of the game for his mental health in 2017, revealing he was battling severe insomnia at the time, on top of his public diagnosis with clinical depression.

“Call it a crisis of vocation or something,” Boyd said.

Former Bulldog and Giant Tom Boyd. Picture: Jason EdwardsSource: News Corp Australia

“I just didn’t enjoy playing footy and I didn’t enjoy it for a long time. And doing something that is ultimately an extremely challenging job, that you also don’t enjoy, is very hard to maintain over a long period of time.”

19. David Schwarz (2013)

The Melbourne great bared his soul in this Open Mike episode.

Schwarz took viewers on an emotional journey where he recounted the violent and sudden death of his father, plus the gambling addiction that cost him everything he’d ever earned.

“Why did it happen to my Dad?” Schwarz asked.

“I always thought that Dad would walk back through the door one day …. Sometimes things just aren’t fair. I was 31 before I grieved.”

20. Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson (2016)

By Sheahan’s own admission, Jackson’s extraordinary interview was the most “uncomfortable” he’s done. And it was so uncomfortable you couldn’t take your eyes off it.

From within the first 10 seconds of the show, you knew which direction this interview was heading. During Sheahan’s introduction, where he described the quirky nature and flair of VFL players during the 1980s, Jackson politely butted in with: “And how many did you poison?”

Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson with Mike Sheahan for Open Mike.Source: Supplied

Sheahan quickly admitted he was “toey” about the upcoming interview, asking Jackson why he disliked him so much.

“You’re a toilet-trained, AFL jerk, media journalist. That’s all you are. You’re a pubic hair,” Jackson said

It was only the beginning. Tap here for a full recap.

21. Ian Stewart (2020)

For years, Sheahan chased the three-time Brownlow Medallist to come on the program — and he finally landed him this year.

Stewart revealed he gave a teenage Tony Lockett a five-year contract to join St Kilda and watered the Moorabbin grounds in the dark of night to give him the best chance to succeed.

“I signed him up,” Stewart admitted. “The recruiting officers said he could play and because I had to determine what sort of contract he was going to be on, I went up to see him play.

“I took my son up there, he was eight or nine years of age, I said ‘What do you think?’ Tony played centre half-forward for the Under 16s, Under 17s, my boy said ‘Oh, he’s good Dad, he’s good!’ I said ‘Yes he’s very good.’

VFL/AFL legend Ian Stewart. Picture: Tim CarrafaSource: News Corp Australia

“That night I went around to Tony’s mother’s place and said we’d sign him, put him on a five-year contract. He was 17. You didn’t have to be a genius to see that (how good he was).

“Somebody when I went back to the club said ‘what made you (sign him for five years)?’ I said well he’s got a chip on his shoulder and he had that look in his eye, he’d look at you like that.”

22. Leigh Matthews (2011)

23. Malcolm Blight (2012)

24. Dermott Brereton (2012)

25. Denis Banks (2016)

The Collingwood premiership star’s brutal hit on Carlton’s David Rhys-Jones in 1986 was top of the agenda.

“I just got him back,” Banks said.

“Look, David was a sniper. I don’t think there was a league player that didn’t want to give Rhys-Jones a bash. They were queued up to bash him.”

Banks added players would “probably get about eight or 10” weeks now for a hit like that.

26. Jonathan Brown (2015)

Months after retiring as a Brisbane legend, Brown sat down with Sheahan for a special hour-long episode.

Brown revealed how he almost joined Hawthorn the year before committing to the Brisbane Lions, but the Hawks changed their mind on a possible draft deal.

He also detailed two massive recruiting offers from Collingwood — one of them a $6 million deal over four seasons in 2005.

Plus he also recalled his experience bowling to Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting on an episode of The Footy Show in 2007.

“I thought this was my opportunity to shorten up the Australian captain,” Brown said.

“Ricky Ponting said, ‘Now mate, just make sure it’s a nice half volley for me, Browny’.”

“I said, ‘No worries, Punter’.

“I shortened him up.”

27. Denis Pagan (2012)

After winning two flags at the Kangaroos, Pagan moved to Carlton to coach the club during one of its darkest periods.

Pagan reflected on his disastrous five-season stint at the Blues, where he was appointed to “do the donkey work” of rebuilding a playing list ravaged by salary cap sanctions. He would eventually sacked be in 2007.

“I was a dead man walking for a couple of years, I knew that,” he said.

28. Jason McCartney (2014)

We all know the story.

After surviving the 2002 Bali Bombings, McCartney remarkably returned to the field for one final game in 2003, which saw North Melbourne hold on for a thrilling win against Richmond. McCartney kicked one goal and had a hand in the match-winner.

He told Open Mike he was in awe of how his teammates rallied around him and played that night.

Jason McCartney kicked a goal during his comeback / retirement match against Richmond in 2003.Source: News Limited

“If I look at the last couple of minutes of that game when we hit the front, I played with some wonderful players at the North Melbourne footy club and the efforts of that senior leadership group that knew of my intentions at the end of the game … (Glenn) Archer, (Anthony) Stevens, these guys — it was like in those last couple of minutes it was just above and beyond the call of duty,” he said.

“They were remarkable.”

29. Scott Cummings (2019)

The Coleman Medallist opened up on losing his radio roles due to comments made on a podcast, as well as the fallout that threw his life “into turmoil” and how he’d worked to learn and grow from the experience.

Cummings had been laughing while reading definitions of sex acts on slang website Urban Dictionary, including two examples that involved sexual assault.

An emotional Cummings said he was disappointed he hadn’t recognised those comments were demeaning to women at the time.

“I’m not saying they weren’t (demeaning). I’m not saying they weren’t,” Cummings said.

“Because at the time — and this is the disappointing thing, I’m disappointed in myself about — is at the time I didn’t see that they were demeaning.”

30. Michael Voss (2014)

Voss was famously sacked mid-contract in 2013 with his Lions having an 8-11 record.

In an engaging Open Mike interview, Voss said he wasn’t surprised when the decision was made, but added he didn’t believe he had full clarity on why the call came.

“When I rang my wife that day (I was sacked), it was, ‘It’s happened,’ as opposed to, ‘You will never believe what happened’,” he said.

“There was a sense of inevitability. The circumstances (of why I was sacked) are still so vague to me. But I have felt like whether it’s success or failure, you have to deal with it and move on.”