Leadership, loss, and the courage to keep showing up.

This episode explores what it means to stay present, stay connected, and keep leading when life gets heavy. Building on the emotional honesty of Episode One, we widen the lens from community to leadership — and how vulnerability can reshape the way men show up for themselves and each other.

At the centre of the episode is Tim Watsford, CEO of the St George Illawarra Dragons, who shares the deeply personal story of losing his father to suicide — and how that loss transformed his approach to leadership, empathy and men’s mental health. Sitting alongside him is Todd Hopwood, HIM committee member and mental-health advocate, whose open discussions about burnout, recovery and resilience resonate with thousands of men every day.

Together, Tim and Todd unpack why men struggle to ask for help, how workplaces and communities can create safer spaces for conversations, and why showing up — even on the hard days — is an act of strength, not weakness. Balancing honesty with hope, the episode also offers practical takeaways on checking in on a mate, building habits that protect mental fitness, and the quiet power of sport and mateship in keeping men connected.

A raw, generous and ultimately uplifting conversation about leadership, loss, and the kind of courage that can change lives.

Episode 1: Walking the Talk

Small steps. Big change. The power of simple actions and community connection in men’s health.

This episode will centre around Mark Burns, founder of The Man Walk, whose initiative has grown into a national movement helping men connect through walking and talking. Alongside him, Mark Sleigh, Chair of Healthier Illawarra Men, will reflect on HIM’s role in supporting grassroots ideas like The Man Walk and share how partnerships can create generational change.