“Birth isn’t a medical event but it’s been treated like one. It can become medical, and when it does, we have the support. But it’s not where we start.” - Melissa Spilsted

Melissa became a clinical hypnotherapist to empower people through birth after seeing how much misinformation was out there. My wife Taneal and I did four sessions with her before our firstborn arrived — and the calm, clarity, and tools we gained helped us far beyond the birthing room.

In this episode, we talk about:

Hypnotherapy, visualisation, and trusting the body

Using mental skills (like in sport) to handle pain and pressure

Subconscious beliefs and how they shape your reality

Media appearances, vision boards, study hacks, and resetting the mind like a computer

How birth can produce sensations similar to orgasm — a surprising but powerful insight

Whether you're preparing for birth or looking to sharpen your mindset, Melissa shares lessons that apply far beyond the delivery room.

To get in touch with Melissa visit:

facebook.com/hypnobirthingaustralia

https://hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Tommy lived his early days in Alotau, a beautiful part of PNG. Fishing, gardening, fun and relaxed lifestyle in the village bring back plenty of great memories. Parents owned a successful fish and chips shop. The arcade games in the shop made the upbringing much better.

Tom is currently the General Manager at BallyCara retirement village, Redcliffe. We chat about what it’s like working amongst seniors, the experiences and lessons he learns on a daily basis. Respect, Trust and Listening are key to living a fulfilled life.

He played rugby league for over 10 years in the Queensland Cup competition. The great things rugby league has taught him that he uses in his work and home life. How he was able to juggle working fulltime and playing in the Qld Cup. We speak about some of the difficult things that players who work fulltime and play rugby league face.

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Zeb Taia played over 300 professional rugby league games, won two Super League titles, and built his career not on talent alone, but on discipline, consistency, and doing his job better than anyone else.

Now the Athlete Wellbeing Manager at Marsden State High School, Zeb shares his journey from Western Sydney to the top of the game — and the challenges young athletes face today.

We talk about being away from family, the power of preparation, learning through setbacks, and why true leadership means having tough conversations and putting in the work yourself.

Plenty of honest insights and grounded wisdom in this one.About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Early Days at the Gold Coast Titans. The hardest part of professional rugby league. Taking the footy mentality and applying it to other parts of life. Rollerblading in Miami and Burleigh. Enlightening the world by being your weird self.

A transition from professional rugby league to interest in acting. Being told by a nurse “There goes your acting career” was an inspiration to take on the acting. After performing his first monologue and earning a scholarship to go to America he felt a new world open up. “It was one of the scariest things I've ever done - auditioning.” “When something scares you it has power over you. Once you do it it feels like you are free and can do more with your life. That’s the lesson I got from it.” Kevin Gordon

On producing music - doing a live show is the big goal. The road to the art world isn’t as straightforward as playing professional rugby league. In league there is a plan and if you follow it you have a chance of making it. It’s different in the artworld - you doing your own thing.

Kev’s new album is out on all platforms now. The Deepening. “It’s about expressing yourself more in a deep way.”

I purchased the album through Itunes after this conversation. I tried to pay close attention to the lyrics. A lot of it was freaking hilarious! There are a few songs you hear and think “these are pretty full on”. That is his goal - to make people think more about what’s happening around the world, especially with the mainstream media’s delivery of “news.” It is $12 on Itunes and although I thought at first I would purchase it just to support a friend but after listening I actually enjoyed the music.

Connect with Kev and follow him on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepgordon

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Hanan Laban is the current CEO of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup rugby league competition.

We speak about:

The upbringing he had with his Samoan family.

The hard work his grandparents did that laid a good platform to help him and his family to be able to get their education.

The skills that were transferable from the banking industry to CEO as Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

Having structure in the morning is important to a good start, especially with kids.

How a local village in the Pacific can build a good and strong rugby league club.

What young athletes need to do to make sure their finances are in order.

The leadership style that helps guide his decisions.

Hanan is a supporter of the Men Of League Foundation.

https://menofleague.com

Teamwork and mateship have been the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. Whether you are an ex-player, an administrator, referee, or club volunteer; whether you are a man, woman or child, Men of League Foundation protects and enhances lives while respecting each individual’s dignity. The vision was to build a foundation that provided practical assistance and social support, and this vision has been realised.

Connect with Hanan on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanan-laban-82584955/

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Dave Donaghy is the CEO of the Brisbane Broncos — one of the most iconic sporting organisations in Australia. This past year has brought its challenges, but also strong results off the field and a clear long-term vision as Brisbane prepares for a golden decade leading into the Olympics.

I asked Dave about how a vision is built — not just because I’m curious, but because I want the rugby league community in my home country in Papua New Guinea to hear how one of the biggest clubs in the world sets direction, stays focused, and gets results.

What stood out is how simple the process can be when done well:

“What do we need to start doing, stop doing, and keep doing?”

“What’s worked? What hasn’t?”

“Was the timing just not right?”

“Listen to the people who’ve been here longer than you.”

This episode reminds us that you don’t need a lot of resources to make progress — small actions like staying focused, asking the right questions, and committing to your vision day by day can take you a long way, no matter where you’re from.

We also chat about procrastination, productivity, leadership, and stories from Dave’s journey — from Melbourne Storm to the Broncos.

Dave is a proud supporter of the Carl Webb Foundation, helping raise awareness and support for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) — a condition affecting some of rugby league’s toughest players, including Carl Webb, my former PNG teammate Tu’u Maori, and the UK’s Rob Burrow. 👉 Learn more or donate: https://www.carlwebbfoundation.org

Connect with Dave and follow him on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-donaghy-03795736/

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Jordan Riki was born in Raglan, New Zealand, and raised in a strong Māori culture surrounded by leadership and guidance. At just 17, he made the big move to Australia to chase his NRL dream — but without his support system, the journey nearly slipped away.

In this episode, Jordan opens up about the tough moments early on, how the Broncos’ mentoring program helped him stay focused, and how it felt to finally crack the top grade. We also dive into the emotional toll of social media — how the things people say online really do have an effect, and how he’s learned to handle the pressure that comes with being in the spotlight.

We talk about his upbringing, the lessons that keep him grounded, what helps him feel and perform at his best, and how he continues to grow on and off the field.

Connect with Jordan and follow him on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanriki/

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast

Ben Ikin is the Head of Football at the Brisbane Broncos — one of Australia’s largest sporting organisations — and still holds the record as the youngest ever player to debut in State of Origin.

In this episode, Ben reflects on his upbringing on the Gold Coast, a family full of sport, music and performance, and how that shaped the conversations and values he carried into rugby league. He shares a funny story about being selected for Queensland before his coach even knew what he looked like, and offers plenty of insight into life after sport.

We dive into his transition from elite athlete to media personality and leader, and the habits that helped him succeed — particularly his daily writing routine during his 10-year run on NRL 360. One key takeaway: “I haven’t so much fallen in love with what I do, but I’ve fallen in love with doing the job well — so people want to keep me around.”

Ben is also a proud supporter of two great causes:

Men of League Foundation – https://menofleague.com

Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation – https://www.pcsrf.org.au

Plenty of wisdom, a few laughs, and some practical tools for anyone navigating big transitions. Enjoy!

About David Mead:

David played 14 years of professional rugby league, representing the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Catalans Dragons, and captaining the PNG Kumuls. With over 230 professional games and 15 international appearances , he’s gained valuable insight into what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now, through conversations with fellow athletes, business minds, and community leaders, David shares real stories and lessons to inspire and empower the next generation.

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidmead411?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmeadpodcast