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http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/joel-griffiths-flies-flag-for-football-in-reality-tv-show/1366994.aspx
JOEL Griffiths has the Johnny Warren Medal as proof that he is the best soccer player in Australia.
The medal for the A-League player of the year sits alongside the Golden Boot award he won last season after propelling the Jets to the title.
But how would the Jets talisman aim up against other athletes in other sports? We are about to find out.
Griffiths will join seven other Australian sporting champions in a reality television show to determine who is Australia's greatest athlete.
"They selected a representative from eight different sports, and I was lucky enough to be the one for football," Griffiths said.
"It will be a great experience just to be mixing with and hanging out with those type of people.
"I'm sure some of them will say 'who's he' when I am introduced to them."
Griffiths will take on the likes of Melbourne and Australian rugby league fullback Billy Slater, Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri, champion ironman Ky Hurst, Olympic gold medallist Steve Hooker, Richmond on-baller Brett Deledio, Aussie cricket all-rounder Andrew Symonds and V8 Supercar driver Jamie Whincup.
The series will be filmed over four days at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast next month and is scheduled to air on Channel Nine in January.
"They wanted an A-League [player] and my name was thrown up," said Griffiths, who did some preliminary taping with a film crew after Jets training yesterday.
"The main idea is to have fun, but I reckon once the competitive spirit kicks in most people will want to win.
"There are heaps of challenges involving all types of sport. There are things like longest drive [golf], penalty shoot-out [soccer], bench press, 40-metre beach sprints, rock climbing . . . the list goes on."
Filming begins on December 8, the day after the Jets take on Sydney FC at home. Their next game is against Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium on December 14.
"The club has been really good about it," Griffiths said.
"Obviously it will help lift the profile of the league as well as myself.
"I will have a physiotherapist with me and plan to train on my own."
Griffiths, the Jets' marquee player from next season, recently filmed two television commercials but said they would be a piece of cake compared to the television show.
"I'm a bit nervous," he said.
"It will be good to be alongside those athletes, meet them, talk to them, bounce some ideas off them and sledge.
"I'd like to think I will go OK in the penalty shoot-out, but I'm not sure about the rest.
"I'm scared of heights, so the rock climbing challenge might be a problem."
JOEL Griffiths has the Johnny Warren Medal as proof that he is the best soccer player in Australia.
The medal for the A-League player of the year sits alongside the Golden Boot award he won last season after propelling the Jets to the title.
But how would the Jets talisman aim up against other athletes in other sports? We are about to find out.
Griffiths will join seven other Australian sporting champions in a reality television show to determine who is Australia's greatest athlete.
"They selected a representative from eight different sports, and I was lucky enough to be the one for football," Griffiths said.
"It will be a great experience just to be mixing with and hanging out with those type of people.
"I'm sure some of them will say 'who's he' when I am introduced to them."
Griffiths will take on the likes of Melbourne and Australian rugby league fullback Billy Slater, Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri, champion ironman Ky Hurst, Olympic gold medallist Steve Hooker, Richmond on-baller Brett Deledio, Aussie cricket all-rounder Andrew Symonds and V8 Supercar driver Jamie Whincup.
The series will be filmed over four days at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast next month and is scheduled to air on Channel Nine in January.
"They wanted an A-League [player] and my name was thrown up," said Griffiths, who did some preliminary taping with a film crew after Jets training yesterday.
"The main idea is to have fun, but I reckon once the competitive spirit kicks in most people will want to win.
"There are heaps of challenges involving all types of sport. There are things like longest drive [golf], penalty shoot-out [soccer], bench press, 40-metre beach sprints, rock climbing . . . the list goes on."
Filming begins on December 8, the day after the Jets take on Sydney FC at home. Their next game is against Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium on December 14.
"The club has been really good about it," Griffiths said.
"Obviously it will help lift the profile of the league as well as myself.
"I will have a physiotherapist with me and plan to train on my own."
Griffiths, the Jets' marquee player from next season, recently filmed two television commercials but said they would be a piece of cake compared to the television show.
"I'm a bit nervous," he said.
"It will be good to be alongside those athletes, meet them, talk to them, bounce some ideas off them and sledge.
"I'd like to think I will go OK in the penalty shoot-out, but I'm not sure about the rest.
"I'm scared of heights, so the rock climbing challenge might be a problem."
