After Kolohe Andino pulled out of the Championship Tour's Australian leg due to injury, Qualifying Series leader and former CT competitor Matt Banting was given his spot at Newcastle. With good past results at this break and a stellar last season on the QS, can Banting make a deep run at the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup presented by Corona?
HEAT 1: Wild Card Matt Banting slays the QS, but has a history of falling off the CT radar. As the injury replacement for Kolohe Andino, will Banting capitalize on the opportunity to compete at the CT level again?
HEAT 2: Ryan Callinan expressed hesitation to post free surf footage, stating that it could sway people's expectations of him. Does it hurt or help to drop your best footage on social media leading up to a comp?
HEAT 3: What is the BEST surf town in the world?
GOING DEEP: Professional athletes, entertainers, and artists are often told a version of "Shut up and play", suggesting that they can share their talent, but nothing beyond that. In this day and age, is the status quo line of "Shut up and play" dead or not?