The second instalment of Common Thread has reunited former junior teammates Steele Sidebottom and Sam Wright over their roles in the black and white.
Having grown up together in the Murray region in small towns just outside of Shepparton in Victoria’s north, the pair having many shared experiences that bind them.
The country values it embedded each of them with is evident from the outset of the chat, with the duo quickly relaxing into the discussion.
Initially bonding over local sport and their memories of footy and cricket as junior, while they also touch on their U18 Murray Bushrangers premiership in 2008.
Both Sidebottom and Wright were key members of that time – Sidebottom in particular after kicking 10 goals in the decider – with the game a key reason behind both getting drafted that same year.
Having gone their separate ways once in the AFL system, the pair compare some of their fondest memories across their time in the league.
Wright, who played 136 games at North Melbourne, picks Sidebottom’s brain about the highs and lows of the two-time premiership player’s career.
The pair compare their journeys at different clubs and the learnings they took from moving to the city as young players from the country, with some brilliant stories shared.
The chat comes full circle when Wright’s move into coaching, and subsequently the Pies’ AFLW Senior role comes into play.
Having jumper into the black and white at the end of 2023, Wright and Sidebottom discuss how their two programs cross over and the interactions they share in the corridors.
A perfect example of the winding road careers in the AFL industry can take, Sidebottom and Wright’s journey from the Murray to the Magpies is all covered in the 40-minute chat.
To watch the full episode, click below and head to our YouTube channel, while the audio version is available on Spotify here.
Common Thread Episode Two: Steele Sidebottom & Sam Wright
00:00 – Introduction
00:22 - Sam and Steele chat about their country upbringings
06:40 – 2008 Murray Bushrangers premiership
11:24 - Sam’s career at North Melbourne
14:58 – Steele’s two premierships
19:37 – Biggest sprays and tough times
27:13 - Transitioning to life after footy
29:40 – How Sam got into coaching and how Collingwood’s AFL & AFLW teams crossover
36:29 – The evolution of AFLW
