When Glenn McGrath, Nedd Brockmann and Dr Richard Harris share a stage
It’s not often you get Glenn McGrath, Nedd Brockmann and Dr Richard Harris in the same room, each pulling on a different thread of what it means to live with purpose, resilience and courage.
That was the lineup at the recent SFG National Conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and it was one of those days that leaves you thinking differently about how you work, live and be present for the people who rely on you.
We wanted to share a short highlight reel here, along with a few of the ideas that stuck with us.
Glenn McGrath with Specialist Broking’s Director of Impact and Strategy, Alison Dunn Jones.
Speakers who hit us for six
The day was packed, but three voices really anchored it for us.
Glenn McGrath on perspective and purpose
As President of the McGrath Foundation and one of Australia’s most respected cricketers, Glenn McGrath brought a bigger lens:
“Get out there, enjoy life to the fullest, and live every moment as well as we can – not only for ourselves, but for those who aren’t here anymore.”
It’s a reminder that health, family and time are not guaranteed. In our world, that translates into helping clients make decisions that support the life they actually want, not just the one that fits neatly on a spreadsheet.
On the day, nearly $30,000 was raised for the McGrath Foundation, which says a lot about the generosity inside this industry and the impact SFG can have when it brings people together.
Dr Richard Harris sharing insights from the 2018 Thailand cave rescue at the SFG National Conference.
Dr Richard Harris on courage and preparation
Dr Richard Harris, the anaesthetist and cave diver who helped lead the 2018 Thailand cave rescue, spoke about what it takes to stay calm and effective when the stakes are incredibly high. His message:
“Invest in yourself. Challenge yourself. Do hard things. Prepare.”
Finance is obviously nowhere near cave-rescue territory, but the principles carry across: preparation, clear thinking and doing the hard work early make the critical moments safer and more predictable – for us and for our clients.
Nedd Brockman with the Specialist Broking team (from left to right: Daniel Jones, Alison Dunn Jones, Nedd Brockman, Cassandra Anstee and Carly Collins).
Nedd Brockmann on action over excuses
Nedd Brockmann’s message was simple and uncomfortable in the best way:
“Be patient with results, but incredibly impatient with action.”
For a small, growing business, that hits home. Results take time, but there’s no excuse for sitting still. Whether it is refining our processes, following up on opportunities or helping clients move from “thinking about it” to actually restructuring their finance, action is where things shift.
Why this matters for our clients
SFG hosted the conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground, turning the venue into a full takeover for the day. Most brokers in Australia either operate under their own Australian Credit Licence or work with an aggregator. An aggregator is essentially the engine room, providing compliance oversight, systems, training and support so brokers can focus on clients rather than red tape.
But it’s rare to work with an aggregator willing to invest this heavily in the kind of big picture thinking that actually makes brokers better. Bringing together a cave-diving anaesthetist, a world-famous cricketer and a marathon runner/homelessness fundraiser isn’t something you normally see in finance.
And you might wonder: What does any of that have to do with mortgages or business lending?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
The themes they spoke about — resilience, preparation, discipline, purpose and staying steady when things get tough — are exactly the qualities clients deserve in a broker. They’re the qualities we rely on when navigating the highs and lows that come with property, business and financial decision-making.
Sessions on diversification, technology (including the Connect 2.0 CRM upgrade) and the launch of the SFG Academy are all aimed at building better, more resilient brokers who can support clients across residential, commercial, asset and SMSF lending over the long term.
By backing events like this, SFG gives its brokers more than tools and systems. It builds a community that is curious, outward-looking and constantly learning… and that flows directly into the way we show up for our clients.
Glenn McGrath, Nedd Brockmann and Dr Richard Harris sharing a laugh at the 2025 SFG National Conference.
What we’re taking into 2026
A few themes we are carrying forward:
Action beats waiting – moving quickly on reviews, opportunities and process improvements rather than sitting on ideas.
People first – remembering there is always a human story behind every loan, restructure or purchase.
Preparation matters – whether it is understanding policy, stress-testing strategies or staying ahead of risk (interest rates, insurance, valuations), the work done early pays off later.
Community counts – seeing nearly $30,000 raised for the McGrath Foundation in one day is a reminder that business can do more than just keep the lights on. It’s also why Specialist Broking is looking to build on our support for CareFlight over the next five years (psst: hello flight simulator fundraiser… watch this space!).
Video below if you want a peek at the conference.
Behind-the-scenes footage from the 2025 SFG National Conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The event brought together Glenn McGrath, Nedd Brockmann and Dr Richard Harris for a day focused on resilience, purpose and preparation, with $30,000 raised for the McGrath Foundation.
