Men, Mateship and the Power of the Triple H A Day in Yuna

Today in Yuna, Western Australia, something pretty special happened.
It wasn’t a big flashy event or a slick presentation. It was just a bunch of blokes coming together in a small community hall, having a yarn about life, and realising they’re not on this journey alone.

The Shire of Chapman Valley invited me out to run a Men’s Workshop, and from the moment I arrived, I could feel the energy in the room. There was that good old-fashioned country banter, a few laughs, and a fair bit of stirring the way Aussie blokes break the ice. But underneath it all was something deeper: honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to have the real conversations.

Real Conversations, Real Blokes

When I walk into these rooms, I’m not there to lecture or preach. I’m there to connect.
And today was a reminder that when we sit down, share a cuppa, and talk about what’s really going on, we create space for honesty and that’s where the healing starts.

The laughter was loud, the emotion was real, and the silence in between was powerful.
Because sometimes it’s not the words that do the talking it’s the nod from across the room, the pat on the back, or the quiet “yeah mate, I get it.”

The Triple H: Hero, Hardship, Highlight

One of the things we explored was something called the Triple H, a simple but powerful strategy used by the Richmond Football Club to build vulnerability and connection.

It’s made up of three questions:
🦸‍♂️ Who is your Hero?
💪 What has been your Hardship?
🌅 What is your Highlight?

Simple on paper, but when you stop and really think about it those questions dig deep.
They make you reflect on who’s shaped you, what’s tested you, and what moments have lifted you up.

When one bloke shares his story, it opens the door for the next.
And that’s what happened today in Yuna stories of hardship, resilience, and hope started flowing. From the footy field to the farm gate, from the shed to the kitchen table. And in between the stories came plenty of laughter because that’s what we do. We laugh our way through the tough stuff too.

Who Are You Really?

We also asked one of the toughest questions there is: Who are you, really?
Most of us answer with what we do.
“I’m a farmer.”
“I’m a truckie.”
“I’m a dad.”
But that’s not who we are that’s what we do.

As the blokes dug deeper, they started reflecting on their values, their purpose, and what keeps them going when life gets rough.
And that’s where the magic happens when a man starts to see himself not just as what he produces or provides, but as a whole person with strengths, struggles, and stories worth sharing.

Vulnerability Ain’t Weakness

If there’s one myth I’ll keep busting, it’s that vulnerability is weakness.
It’s actually the opposite.
It takes real guts to speak up, to share your story, and to admit when things are tough.
And that’s exactly what happened today.

The Yuna men showed courage in a way that doesn’t make the papers, it happens quietly, in rooms like this, with honest words and open hearts.

There were moments of emotion, moments of silence, and moments where the laughter reminded us that even in the hardest times, there’s still room for hope.

Community, Connection and a Cuppa

Afterwards, as we stood around chatting over a cuppa, I couldn’t help but think how powerful these gatherings are.
No PowerPoint slides, no fancy slogans just people talking.
And that’s where community connection truly lives.

Someone always comes up at the end and says, “Mate, I really needed that.”
That’s what keeps me on the road.
It’s not about fixing people, it’s about reminding them they’re not broken.
They just need a reminder that they matter, and that talking about life, the good, the bad, and the in between, is part of staying well.

Beyond the Back Paddock

Today in Yuna, I saw blokes take the first step beyond the back paddock, stepping into conversations that build trust, strength and belonging.
Because resilience doesn’t happen in isolation.
It grows in community, in the conversations that happen over the fence, in the pub, in the ute, or sitting under a gum tree after a long day.

These men reminded me that you don’t have to have all the answers.
You just have to show up for yourself and for your mates.

A Final Word

To the Yuna community, thank you.
Thanks for showing up, for being real, for laughing and for letting those walls down just a bit.
You proved today that courage isn’t just found in hard work or long hours, it’s in connection, in honesty, and in being willing to say, “yeah, me too.”

When men open up, it changes communities.
And today, that change started in Yuna.

Because together, we’re stronger.
Together, we’re unbreakable.