Dylan Buckley on podcast empire, decision to end cult show and ‘not letting footy define my life’

Former AFL player Dylan Buckley has revealed why he and Daniel Gorringe made the surprise call to end their popular show together.

Dylan Buckley and Daniel Gorringe.

Dylan Buckley says he “didn’t want to let footy define me” and he’s doing a pretty good job at that.

The 31-year-old played 41 AFL games for Carlton and the GWS Giants before hanging up the boots in 2018, but he’s perhaps best known these days as a quintessential Gen Z media mogul.

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Buckley runs independent media company Producey and also heads up the Clubby Sports podcast network — a growing empire that features interview show Dyl & Friends and footy-comedy crossover Kick it Forward.

“We just talk sh*t to be completely honest and try and have as much fun as we can and appeal to people who aren’t necessarily watching mainstream media all the time,” Buckley told news.com.au.

“We’re a bit of an alternate platform for the younger generation.

“We love podcasting, we love vlogging and streaming — the digital media side of things is ever growing and I’m really lucky to have such an awesome audience that allows us to put on shows each week.”

Buckley’s wide-ranging interviews have even broken footy news — from Damien Hardwick revealing he’d like to coach again after leaving Richmond to Nick Riewoldt sharing Eddie McGuire’s bold move to poach him from St Kilda.

Dylan Buckley hosts the Dyl & Friends podcast. Photo: Instagram.

Buckley playing for Carlton. Pic: Michael Klein

Names on Buckley’s interview wish list including another Gen Z social media king, Australian golf star Min Woo Lee, and comedy legend Jack Black.

“I like to reach for the stars,” he said.

“I would love to get Min Woo Lee on the podcast.

“One person I’d love to get on who’s been a massive hero of mine is Jack Black. Grew up watching all his movies, loving Tenacious D, love his style. Bit of a random one but he’s definitely someone I look up to.”

Fan fave List Cloggers pod could make comeback

Buckley and fellow ex-player Daniel Gorringe crossed paths during their time at Carlton and built up a cult following through their List Cloggers podcast, which dissected the week’s footy action in a lighthearted way.

So diehard fans of the show were disappointed when the pair discontinued the show last year and went their separate ways.

Buckley’s podcast network is going from strength to strength and Gorringe is now hosting his own Dan Does Footy podcast in collaboration with Sportsbet, while his Instagram account is must watch viewing after a Carlton game.

“We just decided to go our own way,” Buckley explained.

“Dan’s an extremely talented person and he’s doing awesome things with Dan Does Footy and I wish him nothing but the best.

“I think it was just time for us to do something different and learn that.

“I’d love to think there’s definitely an opportunity for that show to come back in the future. It was such an incredible audience and I’m so grateful for everyone that ever tuned into that show.

“Still got a love and respect obviously for Dan and what he’s doing and I wish him nothing but the best. One day I’d definitely love to see that show come back.”

Dan Gorringe and Dylan Buckley hosted the popular podcast List Cloggers. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Buckley says the show could return one day.

Don’t let footy ‘define’ you

Post-footy life seems to be going well for Buckley, who was determined not to become a washed up former player telling war stories about his glory days.

“I wanted to not let footy define the rest of my life,” he said when asked about his transition from professional AFL player to a major player in the digital media landscape.

“It is such a small chapter of your life and I didn’t want to be that guy at a bar (talking about) ifs, buts and maybes or if I had done certain things differently.

“I just wanted to jump into different things and challenge myself in different ways. If there’s any players out there, whether they’re playing local footy, VFL or AFL — just know there is so much more to life.

“I’d like to think if things did pivot again for me, I could pick up and go in a different career again. With that attitude, I’ve been lucky.”

He added: “I’ve been really lucky to have such an awesome experience playing footy and the longer I’m out, the longer I realise sport and business are the exact same thing.

“It’s all about working hard, being disciplined, giving it a red hot crack and leaving no stone unturned.

“There’s plenty of parallel lessons that have set me up for success that maybe I didn’t quite take in my AFL career and I’m trying to leave no stone unturned in this new business world I’m in now. I find them eerily similar.”

Dylan Buckley is the new age media mogul.

If he had to give advice to other players heading into retirement, Buckley said “being true to yourself” and not being scared to fail had served him well.

“As long as you go out there and have a crack, try your hardest, be yourself and if you stuff up admit,” he said.

“That’s all that matters really. Just be true to yourself. That’s when the community or anyone out there can’t hang sh*t on you because you’re just doing what you’re trying to do.

“A lot of young people these days, you get really down on yourself when you make mistakes. Sometimes I think about my career and I could have done things so differently but I wouldn’t have ended up where I am now.

“Making the mistakes is genuinely the best thing to happen to you, because it’s not the mistake it’s how you react to it. That’s been a really big lesson for me that’s helped me get where I am today.”

Buckley’s footy comeback

The self-professed list clogger is pulling on the boots this year as part of the Carlton Draft, where several former AFL players will play a game for a local Victorian club.

Buckley will join former AFL stars Trent Cotchin, Isaac Smith and Matthew Lloyd in the already stacked 2024 Carlton Draft class.

Dylan Buckley will lace up his boots for the Carlton Draught.

“When you look at the names that are running around out there, they’re pretty impressive and they might have run out of a few for me to get call-up,” he joked.

“Bloody pumped and really grateful to be a part of it. Playing with a local team, getting out to a local community club and help support them through a rough time, or getting a win or whatever it is, it’s going to be really exciting.

“The last game I played was with the Giants — a NEAFL game up in Brisbane. It wasn’t my finest game and I remember sitting there thinking ‘you know what I’m going to have a bit of time off’.

“Now we’re back and lets see what happens.”

Buckley joked he’s most nervous about injuring his calves.

“I highly doubt I’ll be going anywhere physical so I won’t be worried about getting too many bruises,” he said.

The Carlton Draft draft night – where the participating clubs select their player - will be held at The Pub at Crown Melbourne in late April.

Entries for the 2024 Carlton Draft across Victoria are now open. To nominate your club head to http://www.thecarltondraft.com.au. Entries close March 29, with five lucky clubs to be announced in early April.