australian television information archive

Janet King: Playing Advantage — series 3

Producers: Karl Zwicky, Lisa Scott
Writers: Greg Haddrick, Felicity Packard, Nikki Allen, Alexa Wyatt
Directors: Peter Andrikidis, Grant Brown, Catherine Millar

Seconded to the National Crime Commission, Janet King's investigation into the death of a young cricketer uncovers a web of organised crime — where the public face of professional sport meets the underworld of match fixing, performance enhancing drugs, money laundering, kickbacks and murder.

Cast: Marta Dusseldorp, Damian Walshe-Howling, Peter Kowitz, Christopher Morris, Andrea Demetriades, Anita Hegh, Hamish Michael, Don Hany, Robert Mammone, Susie Porter, Andrew Ryan, Huw Higginson, John Bach, Steve Le Marquand, Arka Das, Adam Demos.

Playing Advantage

Episode 3.01 (17)
Thu, May 25, 2017
503,000 viewers (13th)
Written by Greg Haddrick
Directed by Peter Andrikidis

Returning from her work with the DPP in Fiji, Janet King has been selected by the National Crime Commission (NCC) to investigate the influence of organised crime in Australian sport. A number of suspicious betting accounts have been linked to a range of different sporting events. Most recently a betting plunge on a wide being called in a Twenty-Twenty cricket match suggests a well organised syndicate at work. But after the betting plunge is exposed, the young bowler responsible, Oliver Pittman, takes his own life. And a day after the match, there is an arson attack on a property being rented by Oliver's teammate, Ravi Hasan.

Oliver represents the naïve, young athletes exploited by organised criminals — because where there's money to be made and players under pressure to reach the top — performance enhancing drugs and corruption are quick to follow. And with Janet's children starting to be recognised for their own sporting prowess, her crusade for the innocent victims of this world is only strengthened.

If she's to crack this betting syndicate, Janet must unmask who told Oliver to bowl the wide, which puts cricket legend Clay Nelson in the NCC's sights. Clay is represented by Richard Stirling, now a successful defence barrister with a client list of top-tier sporting celebrities. This puts Richard head-to-head with his old mentor, Janet. Under mounting pressure from Janet, Richard advises Clay to come clean, but the night before he does, Clay receives a mystery visitor.

Will he still be prepared to testify at the NCC?

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• Robert Mammone as Darren Faulkes,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,
• Don Hany as Clay Nelson

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl Perati,
• Arka Das as Ravi Hasan,
• Du Toit Bredenkamp as Brandon Williams,
• Zindzi Okenyo as Sophie,
• Julian Maroun as Tyler Perati,
• Ben Barber as Rhys Atkins,
• Sean Hawkins as Dale Matcalf,
• Jamie Meyer-Williams as Oliver Pittman,
• Mathew Cooper as Shannon Hinksman,
• Harry Straw as Reed Nelson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Isabel Dickson as Fan #1,
• Rosie Bennett as Pretty Girl #1,
• Mark Hodge as Interviewer,
• Finn Dauphinee as Young Oliver Pittman,
• Milly Haddrick as Rose,
• Ben Toyer as Clay Stunt Double,
• Tracey Batenburg as Waitress

Blindsided

Episode 3.02 (18)
Thu, June 01, 2017
475,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Felicity Packard
Directed by Peter Andrikidis

Having witnessed the shocking events outside the NCC just as Clay was preparing to testify, Janet is convinced it was no accident. When it is revealed Clay received a mystery visitor the previous night, Janet's theory gains traction. But who was his mystery visitor?

Meanwhile, a disturbing video of Tyler Perati's younger sister, Pearl, causes a brawl at the Northern Devils home ground, leading to Nate Baldwin punching Tyler — killing him. Nate swears he didn't hit Tyler very hard, but a manslaughter charge looms.

While Janet strategizes how to use this charge as leverage to get him to reveal what he knows about the betting syndicate, further suspicion is thrown on the Northern Devils' major sponsor, Pax Car Rentals. The company's chairman is called to front the NCC, and Janet is floored to discover it is her estranged father — Graham King.

With Graham now a person of interest for the NCC, Tony is forced to ask Janet to stay at arm's length from the investigation into her father. But will Janet's unresolved issues with her father betray her better instincts and risk compromising the reference?

Janet's suspicions are finally vindicated after she discovers a recording of the harrowing exchange between Clay and the mystery visitor. A sign of the dangerous world Janet and her team are entering.

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• John Bach as Graham King,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,
• Don Hany as Clay Nelson

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl,
• Julian Maroun as Tyler Perati,
• Ben Barber as Rhys Atkins,
• Sean Hawkins as Dale Metcalf,
• Harry Straw as Reed Nelson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Panda Likoudis as Yanni Angelou,
• JR Laveta as Mitchell Douglas,
• Kenneth Moraleda as Eddie Cooke,
• Terry Serio as Terry Renner,
• Lauren Clair as Zoe Dicosta,
• Catherine Moore as Vicki Perati,
• Jeremy Waters as Kevin Reilly,
• Margaret Hamley as Tiny Track Coach,
• Melissa Brownlow as Journalist,
• Paul Cotter as Journalist,
• Benjamin Hanly as Journalist,
• Shannon McCauley as Journalist,
• Shannon Still as Journalist

Levelling the Playing Field

Episode 3.03 (19)
Thu, June 08, 2017
425,000 viewers (18th)
Written by Niki Aken
Directed by Grant Brown

With ties to other key suspects in the betting network, and the man who forced Clay to kill himself, Janet's father Graham, falls under heavy suspicion, throwing Janet into dangerous ethical territory. Tony instructs Janet to remain at arm's length from the investigation, trusting her integrity to guide her, but what ensues is a battle between the heart and the mind. Her burning desire to know if her father is the mastermind behind a criminal betting syndicate is made even more difficult once Graham declares he wants a relationship with his grandchildren.

Meanwhile, Nate Baldwin's manslaughter charge is committed to trial. While Richard urges Nate to plead guilty, he refuses, forcing Richard to try and find the substance Tyler Perati was taking — which may prove to be the leading cause of death — not Nate's punch. But with the Northern Devils' management and Tyler's sister both proving uncooperative, Richard is facing an uphill battle with his career on the line.

As evidence mounts on Graham, the NCC starts to posit him as the major profit-taker. Janet comes to realise there is another explanation for his actions. She knows her father, knows his principles, and he would never involve himself in match fixing. What Janet does discover is Graham's involvement in a salary cap rort involving the Northern Devils' star player, Nate Baldwin. But is that all Graham is hiding?

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• John Bach as Graham King,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl,
• Panda Likoudis as Yanni Angelou,
• JR Laveta as Mitchell Douglas,
• Kenneth Moraleda as Eddie Cooke,
• Terry Serio as Terry Renner,
• Lauren Clair as Zoe Dicosta,
• Akshay Caplash as Wazim Jandaphur,
• Noel Hodda as Magistrate Hansford,
• Peter Mochrie as Geoff Hadley,
• Mathew Cooper as Shannon Hinksman,
• Milly Adcock as Cindi Jackson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Jason Ireland as Vaughn,
• Melissa Brownlow as Journalist,
• Paul Cotter as Journalist,
• Benjamin Hanly as Journalist,
• Shannon McCauley as Journalist,
• Shannon Still as Journalist

Running Out the Clock

Episode 3.04 (20)
Thu, June 15, 2017
518,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Alexa Wyatt
Directed by Grant Brown

By uncovering the Northern Devils' salary cap breach, Janet discovers the bagman delivering cash to Nate Baldwin is the one who induced Clay Nelson to kill himself. This will help the NCC blow the lid off the betting syndicate.

Nate's only hope to get off the manslaughter charge is to establish what substance Tyler Perati was taking, as it may have caused his death. But the only way to do this is to find the source.

Janet is willing to throw the NCC's resources behind the task but only if Nate reveals who the bagman is. But then Nate's agent, Maxine Reynolds, vows she will find the drug herself in an effort to ensure he doesn't speak to the NCC.

With Nate's trial underway, Janet instructs Richard to stall so she has more time to find the drug, and he tries every trick in the book to delay proceedings. But he's up against ex-DPP-colleague Ben McMahon, with Lina as his associate, and they don't make it easy for him.

With the clock ticking, Janet is forced to hatch a new plan. Acting on the assumption Eddie Cooke was administering the drug, Janet recruits former Olympian-turned-coach Zoe DiCosta, to go undercover and cajole Eddie into providing her with the substance. The plan works and she beats Maxine to the drug.

But as it's being tested, Richard's only one way to prolong the trial is to put Nate on the stand, and Ben's cross-examination incites him to lose his temper — resulting in a guilty verdict. But the lab results are not what Janet was expecting…

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• John Bach as Graham King,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,
• Todd Lasance as Ben McMahon

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl Perati,
• Lauren Clair as Zoe Dicosta,
• Milly Alcock as Cindi Jackson,
• Kenneth Moraleda as Eddie Cooke,
• JR Laveta as Mitchell Douglas,
• Heather Mitchell as Judge Walker,
• Ivy Mak as Meili Chang,
• Sean Hawkins as Dale Metcalf,
• Catherine Moore as Vicki Perati,
• Jeremy Waters as Kevin Reilly,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Mikayla & Mackenzie Fanning as Amal,
• Shannon McCauley as Journalist,
• Shannon Still as Journalist

Note: if you don't recall his character, Todd Lasance was one of the stars of Crownies, the 2011 predecessor series to Janet King. See video, Janet King: A Crownie's Return

Game Changer

Episode 3.05 (21)
Thu, June 22, 2017
462,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Alexa Wyatt
Directed by Peter Andrikidis

Tests reveal Pearl's friend overdosed on the same drug that contributed to her brother Tyler's death. Janet suspects that Pearl may be trying to sell it, and with that goes the NCC's best chance of getting inside the betting network. Janet manages to track her down moments before she meets her buyer, thwarting Pearl's plan to use the money to pay for her own place and condemning her to continue to live with Flynn — the exact situation Janet is trying to prevent.

Pearl is now confronted with the fact that the drug that led to Tyler's death is the same one she stole from Flynn, and Janet tries to convince her to report him to the police for sex with a minor. But is Janet solely concerned with Pearl's welfare? Or is it also an attempt to foster leverage on Flynn for her NCC reference?

With Nate Baldwin incarcerated, his wife Lucy struggles with her financial situation. Richard offers to help, but as he digs through the Baldwins' accounts, it becomes clear that Lucy has no monetary freedom — a clear case of financial abuse. As Lucy accepts the truth of her situation, coupled with Nate's potentially lengthy prison sentence, she finds herself becoming more intimate with Richard. But with the drug now recovered, Nate Baldwin stands a high chance of acquittal…

Meanwhile, evidence is growing that Maxine Reynolds is the major profit-taker, and the likelihood she ran Eddie Cooke off the road. That is, until the Northern Devils' coach confesses he crashed into Eddie, enraged that he refused to tell him the truth about the drug he was giving to his players. But Maxine is no innocent, as it's discovered she was the person who signalled Oliver Pittman to bowl the uncalled wide.

With Maxine's involvement in the betting network all but confirmed, the NCC race to find her, but are they too late. Has she fled? Or has she met a more sinister fate?

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl Perati,
• Catherine Moore as Vicki Perati,
• Kenneth Moraleda as Eddie Cooke,
• JR Laveta as Mitchell Douglas,
• Panda Likoudis as Yanni Angelou,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Milly Alcock as Cindi Jackson,
• Banjamin Hanly as Journalist,
• Rebecca Smee as Cindi's Mum,
• Ben James as Buyer,
• Marea Rayment as Female Officer,
• James Overs as Richard's Associate

Hard Ball

Episode 3.06 (22)
Thu, June 29, 2017
477,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Felicity Packard
Directed by Peter Andrikidis

Darren Faulkes appears before the NCC and declares it was Maxine Reynolds who signalled cricketer Oliver Pittman to bowl the infamous uncalled wide. But when a terrified Maxine is intercepted attempting to flee the country, she reveals Darren as the mastermind of the betting syndicate. Her fear is quickly justified when Graham King is viciously bashed, and Janet assaulted by Darren's heavies, as reprisal for Graham identifying him as a match-fixer.

Janet discovers Pearl stole oxycodone from Flynn, and it's from the same batch as the one given to Clay Nelson to commit suicide. Janet hopes a guilty verdict in Flynn's trial will provide enough leverage to force him to reveal the mystery man who gave Clay the drugs, but he's found not guilty, and Pearl is devastated to discover Janet's ulterior motive.

The verdict also exacerbates Richard's guilt over his inaction when Pearl was sexually assaulted by two Northern Devils players. And he's further forced to confront his conscience regarding Lucy Baldwin when he not only gets her husband, Nate acquitted, but is made aware that his tryst with Lucy was recorded by the NCC.

Then suddenly, Clay's mystery visitor's phone is reactivated, and they track it to a compounding chemist who reveals he's been coerced into importing MDMA precursors, in addition to steroid imports for Eddie Cooke. A sting operation is set up to track the precursors, which leads them to Wes Foster, who torched Ravi Hasan's house. Confirmed as the mystery man who incited Clay Nelson to suicide, he's arrested, but refuses to cooperate. With few options left, Janet devises an undercover operation to penetrate Darren's network… and she knows just the candidate who is compromised enough to ingratiate themselves into this world — Richard.

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Susie Porter as Maxine Reynolds,
• John Bach as Graham King,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,
• Robert Mammone as Darren Faulkes,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster

• With:
• Huw Higginson as Wayne Page,
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Marny Kennedy as Lucy Baldwin,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl Perati,
• Alan Flower as Lionel Cartwright,
• Peter Mochrie as Geoff Hadley,
• Mathew Cooper as Shannon Hinksman,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Nisrine Amine as Judge's Associate,
• Melanie Thorpe as Jury Foreman,
• Adam Marsden as Clerk,
• Keith Thomas as Judge,
• Mikayla & Mackenzie Fanning as Amal,
• Michele Antonio Mattiuzzi as Detective,
• James Overs as Richard's Associate

White Line Fever

Episode 3.07 (23)
Thu, July 06, 2017
521,000 viewers (13th)
Written by Greg Haddrick
Directed by Catherine Millar

With the next betting scam imminent, Janet is up against the clock to bring mastermind Darren Faulkes to justice before another innocent victim is corrupted. But Faulkes has ensured nothing links him to the gambling syndicate, so the only option is to use someone inside his circle to expose him. Richard is enlisted to go undercover and win his trust — ironically earning it via the action of which he is most ashamed: his tryst with Lucy Baldwin. For Richard, this is the road to redemption, but it's paved with danger and regret.

Janet's father, Graham King, now bankrupt and his company in receivership, wants to represent himself in court. He's accused of issuing a fraudulent prospectus claiming Pax Car Rentals was 'successful', despite financial losses for the past two years. As Janet and Tony help him prepare his case, legal debate on what defines 'success' forces Janet to confront her father over his affection always being conditional on her success, and ask for an apology for deserting her as a teenager. Caught in the middle of family turmoil, Janet's partner Bianca, sees her future with Janet begin to fracture.

Meanwhile, with his own agenda in play, DPP Owen Mitchell strikes a backroom deal with Faulkes whereby Wes Foster's bail goes unopposed. With a hardened criminal back on the loose, the danger for Richard is mounting as Janet and Tony argue over whether the risk is too great. Displaying the same uncompromising nature as her father, Janet remains steadfast — spurred on by justice for the victims. Soon enough, they discover Darren is using an international cash repatriation company to move his dirty money overseas, but the win is short-lived: Wes has been instructed to kill someone, and they fear that someone is Richard.

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• John Bach as Graham King,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Adam Demos as Nate Baldwin,
• Robert Mammone as Darren Faulkes,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster

• With:
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Lauren Clair as Zoe Dicosta,
• Mathew Cooper as Shannon Hinksman,
• Akshay Caplash as Wazim Jandaphur,
• Du Toit Bredenkamp as Brandon,
• Edward Williams as Thommo,
• Adut Gob as Talia,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Mikayla & Mackenzie Fanning as Amal,
• Robyn Canner as Repex Employee

Little Victories

Episode 3.08 (24)
Thu, July 13, 2017
480,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Felicity Packard
Directed by Catherine Millar

Janet and the NCC know that Darren Faulkes is the head of the betting syndicate, because they've tracked his criminal earnings to a Swiss bank. But they can't charge him until he accesses the money.

They believe Darren intends to use this money for the next betting plunge, but when his attempt to corrupt a young tennis player fails, it's an ethically conflicted Richard who is forced to ensure the betting scam goes ahead.

Trying to repair her relationship with Pearl, Janet encourages her to apply for assistance through a sporting program for disadvantaged youth, but warns Pearl that she must decide whether or not to take responsibility for her own future.

Meanwhile, Zoe DiCosta's refusal to see a doctor has Janet suspecting her fast deteriorating condition is due to performance enhancing drug use. This leaves Zoe with a choice — confirm the drug rumours with life-saving heart surgery, or take her secret to a far-too-early grave.

When Faulkes' henchman Wes Foster is charged with the murder of Flynn Pearce, Darren instructs Richard to represent him. Richard is further conflicted by yielding to Janet's demand to advise Wes to cooperate with the NCC.

Janet finally gets the evidence she needs to prove how Darren is laundering his money, but now Darren has discovered that Richard is an NCC plant, forcing Janet to act fast to save him. And just as Janet is about to deliver the final nail in Darren's coffin, Owen Mitchell stymies proceedings by revealing Darren is a pawn in a much bigger operation. Will Janet reluctantly relinquish her victory for a longer-term gain?

• Starring:
• Marta Dusseldorp as Janet King,
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Owen Mitchell,
• Hamish Michael as Richard Stirling,
• Andrea Demetriades as Lina Badir,
• Peter Kowitz as Tony Gillies,
• Christopher Morris as Andy Campbell,
• Anita Hegh as Bianca Grieve,
• Andrew Ryan as Flynn Pearce,
• Robert Mammone as Darren Faulkes,
• Steve Le Marquand as Wes Foster

• With:
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Bonnie Mahesh,
• Lauren Clair as Zoe Dicosta,
• Zoe Terakes as Pearl Perati,
• John Adam as Simon Nixon,
• Mathew Cooper as Shannon Hinksman,
• Edward Williams as Thommo,
• Terry Serio as Terry Renner,
• Brandon Paterson as Glen Farmer,
• Jude Hyland as Liam King Larsson,
• Matilda Graham as Emma King Larsson,
• Mikayla & Mackenzie Fanning as Amal,
• Martin Ashley Jones as Cleaner