Get your tickets sorted for the ANZA AFL Grand Final party and meet former ruckman, Spida Everitt.  

The former AFL ruckman retired from the professional game in 2008 after 291 games, and has since been involved with many radio and TV shows. Catch him at ANZA’s AFL Grand Final party at ParkRoyal hotel on Beach Road, Saturday 30 September.  

What do you feel contributes to a stand-out performance?

It is all about your preparation, always be prepared. Remember the 5 P’s – practise and preparation prevents poor performance.

How do you mark a great performance or success?

If you are honest with yourself then you know what your “great” is, but it’s others that acknowledge the performance most.

What’s been the biggest challenge of your career?

Going from a local lad having a kick of the footy on weekends, to playing in front of tens of thousands of people and it being shown on TV to hundreds of thousands more. The lifestyle, the training, changes in nearly every aspect of your daily life – what meals to eat, when to eat them – it all had its challenges. The entire footy career had its challenges.

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

When I was 15 I went from one local football club to another and was picked up that year by the St. Kilda football club. I question if I would have been picked up had I not decided to change clubs.

How do you deliver bad news?

Personally, face-to-face and to the individual first.

How do you prepare for a major deadline or big event?

Always do the hard yards early so when the deadline or event arrives the hard work is done.

What’s your secret weapon?

I think it is time management and having the ability to look at things as a whole but break it down to make it happen, quicker and easier. 

How do you keep a clear mind?

I love the garden so when I’m out pottering around I clear my mind from the stresses of work and life.

What goes through your head during the match or show?

This is it, all the work is done now so it’s show time! Don’t waste all the hard work you’ve put in; push it out and play hard.

What has been the most interesting thing you’ve learnt in your careers?

Never be late. You can never make a second first impression.

Have you changed your thoughts on performance in the transition of your career from sportsman to media?

Not at all, the media is just like footy – be on time, come prepared and when it’s time, give all you have. I think footy has helped with my media career in that it has given me an awesome foundation to build on.

How do you work best? Under pressure? Planned down to finite detail?

A bit of both as I like things planned and worked through, but if I’m under pressure I love the “just get it done” motto. If I’m thrown anything, I’ll work it out, work through it and just get it done.

Who has helped you realise your potential?

My wife, Sheree. She is a hard task master but also has given me the time and encouragement to make sure everything is done perfectly.

Join us at the Parkroyal on Beach Road to watch the final two teams light up the MCG on the last day in September.

With five giant screens dominating the room, you won’t miss one specky or “sausage roll snagged from the pocket” at ANZA’s AFL Grand Final event. Book a table, bring your friends and barrack for your favourite team.

All-Australian ruckman, Spida Everitt is flying in especially to share AFL locker-room stories and take us through the game, goal by goal.

To keep fuelled for all the sporting excitement there will be free-flow beer, wine and soft drinks – keep hydrated sports fans – and an exquisite all-day buffet. And rather than half-time oranges and a tough team talk, you can indulge in your favourite Aussie meat pies courtesy of The Butcher.

Also, don’t worry about leaving the kids at home – we have so much laid on for them too! Movies, face-painting, balloon-sculpting, selfies in the photobooth and so much more – plus a nanny to keep the chaos under control! Bring them along and make it a real family day.

Our doors open at 10.00am and the first bounce is at 12.30pm.

All is not over when the final siren sounds either – keep on celebrating with us after the game. We’ll have buses to take you all to Molly Malones for the after party.

Members $145

Non-members $170

Kids 3-11yrs $60

Kids 12-18yrs $75

Tickets available to Austcham, AAS & Singapore Sharks at member price

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS: 2017 ANZA AFL GRAND FINAL PARTY

Charley Larcombe draws back the red velvet curtains at one of Singapore’s most dramatic hotels for a little staycation.

Where in Singapore is there a gleaming gold rhino standing as a reception desk, or six hand-hammered brass banyan trees appearing to hold up the ceiling? What sort of place would have great gold elephants looking like they’re emerging from a lift or artwork that isn’t stationary but follows you around the room? Where has red velvet seating so plush you can bury your fingers in the pile and lighting low enough even during the day to evoke the era of elicit cocktail bars?

Ladies and Gentlemen, as the hotel’s adage says, “If you must get into trouble, do so at Hôtel Vagabond.” And the décor certainly makes you feel like getting into trouble here could be very stylish indeed.

The interior of this 41-room hotel close to the banks of the Rochor Canal on Syed Alwi Road, is thanks to Parisian designer, Jacques Garcia – the creative mastermind behind ultimate escapism joints like The Danieli in Venice and Hotel Costes in Paris. These are Bucket List places to stay, that have transcended mere hotel status to be a destination in their own right. Go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, or see all you need to of the City of Light from your Hotel Costes bed, looking at the ceiling? With a hotel as stunning as that, it’s a tough weigh-up. And it seems to be a similar ambience created at Hôtel Vagabond; a place to take a vacation from the everyday; a place quite unlike the rest of Singapore.

There is a distinct nod to Paris here due to the colour palette of bitten-lip rouge and Cleopatra-esque gold, but the touches are all a little more exotic. Going back to that Rhino in the lobby, it was actually curated by a hugely respected artisan family in India who have the proud, multi-generation tradition of making armour for the Rajasthani royal family. Hotel owner, Satinder Garcha and his wife Harpeet Bedi who manages the day-to-day running of Hôtel Vagabond have given many personal touches to this hotel too. In particular with the art, which is clearly a passion for both of them.

Stepping into the Salon, with a bar presided over by giant baboon installation, La Mona, is like releasing your inner Flapper girl at a speakeasy. Order yourself a martini or one of the cocktails-with-a-twist on offer from Head Bartender, Shah, and take a wander around the gallery-like walls. Contemporary artists are placed alongside classics, as well as striking photography; it’s a cacophony of great pieces. Part of the hotel’s mission is to make culture and creativity more accessible through an Artists-in-Residence programme. Local and international artists are often invited to apply for a residency at the hotel during which they will stay, work and converse with guests. It’s a fabulous touch to make Vagabond like a living and breathing studio.

So, indulge in the cocktails here but skip dinner – you’re slap-bang in the centre of a foodie haven in this part of town, so step out for something delicious. If you need inspiration, either take your trusted copy of ANZA magazine (Our August Check-Out is a gastronomy insider’s guide to Jelan Basar) or take one of the gorgeous printed maps of Little India and Kampong Glam on offer in the hotel lobby. Little hand drawn roads and personal recommendations from the staff, are much more of an adventure – after all there has to be a little bit of that even if you are holiday-ing at home.

Once you’re back, head to your room. As is no surprise in a heritage building – clock the Art Deco design of the exterior – space is at a premium, but the hotel has done a great job at making the best of it. Tapestried sliding doors, rainfall showers and a room that is essentially all bed, is perfect for a hotel room with romance.

For the techies amongst you, you’ll like “Handy” the sleek smartphone which has free local and international calls plus unlimited data. This is rather handy if you want to say, stay another day and set up a temporary office whilst still in your robe…but what a great advantage if you’re an actaul visitor to Singapore too, don’t you think?

For those looking to relax, grab one of the fluffy white robes in the wardrobe, plump-up the pillows and settle back for a movie marathon. From action-packed blockbusters, to art-house avant garde flics; from kids’ classic to Oscar gold, there is enough to keep you entertained. Break into the minibar – you’re on holiday – and indulge.

Staycations may seem an obsolete solution in Singapore where so much is on our doorstep and a short hop-skip-and-a-jump-away on Scoot and you’re at a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but now and again, how great is it to just book into a hotel here at home? No fuss; no stress; little organisation. Perfect. After all, isn’t that what a holiday should be about? Take a mini-break from the mundane and check-in to Hôtel Vagabond.

Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo hails from Perth and so considers the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix as one of his home races. We hear from the 28-year-old about the road to Marina Bay.

What’s the morale like within the team?

It’s strong. I think after the start of the season, like testing and the first couple of races, everyone was a bit down, a bit frustrated as it looked like another kind of long season ahead, if you will. But I feel like everyone has picked themselves up since then; it’s all positive for now. I think everyone’s acknowledged the position we’re in and they know that if we want to make it better for ourselves then we’ve got to put the work in and that’s also from my side as well. These cars have been a bit trickier to drive and maybe the balance isn’t perfect so I’ve got to figure it out a bit more and put the work in to make it better for myself also.

What’s your mindset like when the European season closes and you have the flyaways ahead with Singapore up first?

You kind of reset and go again for another push, one last push I guess. And Singapore requires more preparation as well because it’s normally the longest and hottest race of the year. So physically you kind of take a reset and start-up again mentally. It’s obviously nice for me going that way because it’s closer to home and I enjoy those few circuits.

Singapore will be the biggest fitness test this year. How are you feeling about that?

I think it’s a challenge I’ll certainly welcome. The last few years I’ve put emphasis on that with my training and my preparation before Singapore and I think the results I’ve shown being on the podium three years in a row shows that. So that’s an area of the sport which I feel like I thrive off. I’m not saying I’m the fittest guy on the grid or the only guy that trains but when it comes to that kind of specific training, I feel like I’m definitely putting in what I have to and making sure I’m prepared as well, if not better, than anyone. The aim is to be better prepared than everyone. It’s certainly one [race] that if a driver doesn’t quite take some of those real physical ones seriously, if they’re out enjoying their weekends more than they should, then I definitely feel it will show this year.

What do you think the event has brought to the sport?

I think since Singapore has been on the calendar, it has certainly brought interest from all over the world. It’s actually a race that everyone talks about. Obviously it’s close to home, close to Australia; you know we get a lot of Aussies flying in for that race, but also Europe and even in the States. It’s kind of like one of these iconic races now, which is pretty impressive for a track which hasn’t even hosted 10 Grands Prix yet. I think hats off to them, they do it really well. I think the weekend runs awesome and for us to kind of juggle that European time zone whilst we’re out there is unique so I think that’s cool. And the track’s built a bit of a reputation for being probably the most physical one and the longest race of the year. There’s a lot of hype and excitement that comes with that race and I certainly enjoy it on the calendar.

Was your second place last year your biggest highlight at the Marina Bay Street Circuit?

That was great. I feel like at least since I’ve been with Red Bull [Racing], and had a chance to race closer to the front, I’ve always had some good races in Singapore. But last year was cool to at least obviously keep the race going until the end and give everyone hope that maybe I’ll get him, maybe I’ll get him. But again physically that was rewarding for me to be able to push that hard until the end and show that I wasn’t fading or anything. That was a bit of a testament to the work I put in before the race also so it was rewarding, and people were like it sucks, it was a shame you didn’t win, this and that, but I was happy. I would’ve loved to have won, sure, but I definitely left Singapore feeling pretty content with how the weekend and the race went.

With thanks to FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX