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Dirt Game: episode guide

A Land Down Under

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Episode 1
Sunday, April 19, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 769,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by Brendan Maher

Cockatoo Creek Resources, CCR, is an Australian mining company with gold, copper, nickel and gas. Burdened with financial, environmental and safety issues, CCR is also teetering on the brink of collapse and parent company, London-based Albion Energy (AEL) isn't happy.
They appoint UK executive Brian Jardine as the new CEO with strict instructions to save CCR or dump it. With his marriage slowly falling apart, Brian leaves his wife Tess and daughter, and heads to Australia.
Brian enlists CCR geologist Megan Kerr to head up a crisis-management team. She pulls together an unlikely group from both sides of the fence, including, veteran mining engineer Max Mees, union delegate Shane Bevic, and a feisty environmentalist, Caz Cohen.
The first task is to get CCR's nickel pit back in operation after a fatal accident shut it down. But with the emotionally charged workers out on strike, a body proving impossible to recover and a bank threatening legal action, the pressure is on. Will this ill-matched team be able to get the pit back on track, placate the workers and save the nickel orders?
Meanwhile, Brian learns from an anonymous source that someone might be sabotaging his work at CCR — potentially from within the very Board he reports to.

Cast: Nell Feeney as Laune, Phil Reilley as Ducky, Gerald Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Paul Ireland as Stu Strachan, John Paton as Glaswegian, George Whaley as Tim Royce, Martin Jacobs as Iain Blair, Adrian Mulraney as Simon Cato, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Lucy Bell as Tess Jardine, Talia Zucker as Claire Jardine, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Nick Farnell as Rocky, Shane Connor as Max Mees, Jackie Kerin as Judy, Christopher Stevenson as Site Manager, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Richard Sutherland as Curl, Elena Mandalis as Annie, Eddie Baroo as Mick, Lena Cruz as Ms Lim, Joshua Erwin Ongso as Junior Banker, Ferdinand Hoang as Senior Banker, Carolyn Garner as Presenter, Tony Barry as Alec Nolan, Katie Wall as Caz Cohen, Suzie Stapleton as Lynda, Hugh Sexton as Kieran, Don Hany as Dion Pesci, Lana Lang as Kylie Budd

Green and Gold

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Episode 2
Sunday, April 26, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 606,000 viewers (21st)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by

With the nickel mine back on track and the bank's foreclosure action briefly averted, Brian finds that CCR's revived 19th century gold mine is under threat when concerns are raised about a nearby creek.
Locals and environmentalists are pressuring for its closure. Caz finds herself bullied by her old 'greenie' friends as she investigates the site.
With the Hong Kong bank inexplicably refusing to extend CCR's credit and matters exacerbated by a threatened frog species, a solution devised by Caz and Max nearly collapses when human bones are uncovered in an old mineshaft. How long have they been there and how did they end up at the bottom of a mineshaft?
Meanwhile, Brian attempts to reconcile with Tess. However, his efforts backfire when his old mentor, AEL's managing director Nigel Hay not only shares some disturbing information, but Brian discovers that his own father-in-law, Iain Blair, may well be the hostile member of the Board.

Cast: Shane Connor as Max Mees, Lena Cruz as Ms Lim, Joshua Erwin Ongso as Junior Banker, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Gerald Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Hugh Sexton as Kieran, Suzie Stapleton as Lynda, Tony Barry as Alec Nolan, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Tony Rickards as Leo Ives, Katie Wall as Caz Cohen, Jackie Kerin as Judy, Kerry Walker as Erica, Simon Maiden as Zac, Jason Buckley as Gold Miner #1, Frank Kennedy as Gold Miner #2, Frances Wang as Hong Kong Receptionist, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Don Hany as Dion Pesci, George Whaley as Tim Royce, Martin Jacobs as Iain Blair, Adrian Mulraney as Simon Cato, Ferdinand Hoang as Senior Banker

Silent Night

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Episode 3
Sunday, May 03, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 526,000 viewers (20th)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by Brendan Maher

A potentially disastrous accident at CCR's ageing South Australian copper mine highlights the need for its urgent upgrade and also to find new copper.
When Megan and Brian travel to Megan's remote copper exploration site, their four-wheel drive rolls, leaving them stranded with no car and out of radio contact. Stuck in the middle of the desert, with their unconscious driver needing medical help and daylight fading, things look grim. During the night, Megan and Brian find themselves opening up to each other about their work and their past. Meanwhile, Megan realises a rock she stumbles across could potentially hold the key to CCR's salvation.
Back on site, the miners are enjoying a Christmas fly-in from their families and loved ones. With plenty of food, drink and even a visit from Santa, spirits are high despite increasing uncertainty over the mine's viability. But concern for Brian and Megan grows after they miss their scheduled flight. With their whereabouts unknown, Max finds himself in charge and under pressure from AEL's London Board to make a decision about the future of the copper mine.

Cast: Shane Connor as Max Mees, Brett Swain as Trev, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Brook Sykes as Luke, Gerald Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Richard Sutherland as Curl, Nell Feeney as Laurie, Elena Mandalis as Annie, Eddie Baroo as Mick, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Lucy Bell as Tess Jardine, Martin Jacobs as Iain Blair, George Whaley as Tim Royce, Talia Zucker as Claire Jardine, Nick Farnell as Rocky, Jing-Xuan Chan as Lucy, Tammy McCarthy as Beth, Zoe Bertram as Morag, Brendan Parry Kaufmann as Boris, Russell Frost as Rocky Stunt Double
and: Paul Denny, Rowan Francis, Clare O'Brien, Peter Prenga, Christine Moffat, Richie Akers, Louise Howlett, Kristina Lesjak, Nicholas Lejak

Boab Dreaming

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Episode 4
Sunday, May 10, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 566,000 viewers (22nd)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by Grant Brown

The team attend an annual West Australian mining forum, complete with bikini-clad barmaids much to Max and Shane's delight. Brian finds himself called away to CCR's new gas field to deal with a fresh water bore the local Indigenous community fears will harm its sacred sites. With the gas project stalled until the issue is resolved, Caz and Max join Brian to retest the area in hope of finding an alternative site for the bore.
Meanwhile back at the forum, Megan — whose private feelings for Brian are becoming harder to contain — finds herself babysitting CCR's Indian customer, Mangalore Power, with whom they are currently negotiating the already badly-delayed gas deal. If a solution isn't found soon, Megan fears they will lose the order.
After an anonymous tip-off, Megan and Brian discover that a rival company has been trying to entice Mangalore Power away from CCR, with once again the evidence pointing to Brian's father-in-law.

Cast: Gerry Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Shane Connor as Max Mees, Ningali Lawford-Wolf as Ruth, David Kennedy as Jimmy, Mark Coles Smith as Willie, Simon McDonald as Eric, Heath Bergensen as Grant, Lisa Flanagan as Nadia, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Katie Wall as Caz Cohen, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Martin Jacobs as Iain Blair, Lucy Bell as Tess Jardine, Adrian Mulraney as Simon Cato, Yang Li as Chinese Delegate, Raj Sidhu as Trakesh Ayar, Ian Bliss as Bart, Don Hany as Dion Pesci, Lana Lang as Kylie Budd, Jacinta Stapleton as Chloe, Christopher Barry as Snapper, Brian Wray as Macca, Jemma Gawned as Barmaid #1, Islau Puertollano as Brad, Aretha Hill as Lexie, Jadaja Toores as Ty
and: Jimmy Edgar, Mitch Torres, Robert Dann, Rohanna Angus

Down Among the Dead Men

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Episode 5
Sunday, May 17, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 517,000 viewers (24th)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by Brendan Maher

Brian is urgently recalled to London amidst a hostile foreign take-over threat to AEL, seemingly implicating his father-in-law for once and all which could close CCR for good. Before Brian goes, Megan acknowledges her feelings for him and the difficulty she is having dealing with them.
Back at CCR, with a vital copper order already badly delayed, Max and Shane investigate mine-workers' concerns over a faulty cage-lift. With the lift finally fixed, Megan has a bruising encounter with Max. Despite Max's confidence that the mine can re-open Megan remains concerned that Max might be compromising safety in order to make up for lost time.
Meanwhile, Caz's pursuit of rare fossils finds her caught up in a terrifying situation that not only turns her world upside down but also draws her closer to Shane than she could ever have imagined.

Cast: Shane Connor as Max Mees, Brett Swain as Trev, Greg Carroll as Felix, Brook Sykes as Luke, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Gerry Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Katie Wall as Caz Cohen, Richard Sutherland as Curl, Don Hany as Dion Pesci, Paul Ireland as Stu Strachan, Lucy Bell as Tess Jardine, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Adrian Mulraney as Simon Cato, Martin Jacobs as Iain Blair, George Whaley as Tim Royce, Jackie Kerin as Judy
and: Robert Wallace, Brian Cullum, Ande Orbach, Noel Herriman, Dianne Frey, David Watson

Reckoning

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Episode 6
Sunday, May 24, 2009 (8.30pm, ABC1)
Ratings: 574,000 viewers (21st)
Written by Michael Harvey
Directed by Grant Brown

Having finally unmasked and confronted the hostile boardroom faction, Brian helps fight the foreign take-over bid in a desperate attempt to save both AEL and CCR — not to mention his own job.
Meanwhile an unknown radical environmental group called Earth Warriors, threatens the opening of CCR's gold mine. With little to go on and the hours ticking down, Megan, Max, Shane and Caz urgently try to avert the threatened sabotage whilst reassuring a wary Hong Kong bank.
Megan finally discovers why she can never find copper and in doing so, realises that she may actually hold the key to CCR's very future.
And just when it seems Megan and Brian will finally discuss their feeling for each other, a serious road accident in the UK, sends Brian rushing back to join his wife Tess, at their daughter's hospital bedside.

Cast: Adrian Mulraney as Simon Cato, Nicholas Bell as Nigel Hay, Gerry Lepkowski as Brian Jardine, Martin Jacob as Iain Blair, George Whaley as Tim Royce, Freya Stafford as Megan Kerr, Shane Connor as Max Mees, Joel Edgerton as Shane Bevic, Katie Wall as Caz Cohen, Tony Barry as Alec Nolan, Tony Rickards as Leo Ives, Simon Maiden as Zac, Don Hany as Dion Pesci, Lisa marie Charalambous as Floor Manager, Suzie Stapleton as Lynda, Hugh Sexton as Kieran, Joshua Erwin Ongso as Junior Banker, Lena Cruz as Ms Lim, Richard Sutherland as Curl, Paul Ireland as Stu Strachan, Lucy Bell as Tess Jardine, Georgina Naidu as Doctor, Talia Zucker as Claire Jardine, Michelle Cele as Sister, David Barker as UK NEws Reporter, Katie Blake as UK Pay-Channel Presenter, Kerry Walker as Erica, Jackie Kerin as Judy
and: Robert Wallace, Brian Culum, Ande Orbach, Noel Herriman, Martyn Brown, Rudy Fitzgerald-Leonard