Tribal/team challenge record (14-for-22; 1 sit-out):

• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 1 RC: Not shown competing. Both tribes win stuff.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 1 IC: Helps carry the battering ram; Champions win.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 2 RC: "Sumo at Sea" - Sits out, as the Champions win, 7-3.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 2 IC: Releases the four overhead buoys, but the Champions lose, 8-4.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 3 RC: Scores two goals, allows one vs. Benji; Champions win, 7-4.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 3 IC: Helps haul the giant cart, but the Champions lose.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 4 RC: "Kicking and Screaming" - With Mat, unable to move Heath, but Champions win.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 4 IC: Crosses the obstacles; Champions win.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 5 RC: With Mat, places the balls on the wobbly frame; Champions win.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 5 IC: Helps paddle the canoe; Champions win.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 6 RC: Beats Benji, and the Champions win, 7-2.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 6 IC: Helps carry the cages, but the Champions lose.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 7 IC: Works the slingshot twice, scores once; the Champions win, 3-2.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 8 RC: Runs twice (both of which are wins); the Champions win, 3-1.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 8 IC: Outlasts all of the Contenders; Champions win again.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 9 IC: Works the vertical maze with Jackie; Champions win again.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 10 RC: Jumps, grabs rope, climbs the ramp, but the Champions lose.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 10 IC: Shoots baskets, and the Champions win once again.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 11 IC: Paired with Tegan, first pair to drop (under 10 min.); new Champions lose.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 12 RC: Not shown competing; new Champions lose, 3-1.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 12 IC: Hauls the cart and works the final puzzle, but Champions lose again.
• Champions v. Contenders Ep. 13 IC: Works the puzzle, and (thanks to Brian) the Champions win.

Individual challenge record (0-for-4): (Mean % finish: 52.2%)

• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 14 IC: "Get a Grip" - Tenth out, lasts over 2 hrs, 45 minutes (3rd/12).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 15 IC: Fifth person to drop out, over 5 minutes in (7th/11).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 16 RC: Seventh person eliminated (4th/10).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 16 IC: "Last Gasp" - Lasts 50 minutes, but first person out (10th/10).

Redemption/Exile Island duel record (0-for-0):

• Champions v. Contenders: None yet.

Idols held/played (0/0):

• Champions v. Contenders: None.

VFB - Votes for the person booted (6/8):

• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 2: Russell Hantz (voted out, 4-4-2-2 [9-1]).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 3: Damien Thomlinson (voted out, 8-2-1).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 6: Moana Hope (voted out, 7-[0]).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 11: Jackie Glazier (voted out, 4-2-1-1).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 14: Lydia Lassila (voted out, 9-3).
• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 15: Robbie Skibicki (voted out, 9-1-1).

VAP - Votes against (8):

• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 16: Received 8 votes, from Benji, Brian, Mat, Monika, Shane, Sharn, Shonee, and Steve (voted out, 8-2).

Jury votes made (0/1):

• Champions v. Contenders, Ep. 24: Voted for Sharn Coombes, who finished second (5-4).

Pre-game interviews

• Official SurvivorAU "Meet Sam" pre-game interview (YouTube)

Post-game interviews

• Mat Whitehead at TenDaily.com.au (9/12/18): "Samuel Says 'Mat Had to Make an Example of Me'"
• Tina Burke at TV Week (9/12/18): "Eliminated Australian Survivor Champion Sam reveals where it all went wrong"
• Ryan Brink at Brink of Reality (9/12/18): "2nd Juror/ 15th Boot Exit Interview"
• Austin Smith at Inside Survivor (9/15/18): "Samuel Hinton Exit Interview: 'Nice Work Little Birdie Benji'"

Excerpts from Sam's official bio page (7/31/18):

"Proving that brawn is not the only way onto the Champions tribe, Sam’s outstanding intellectual accomplishments will have him ahead of the game.  

A boy genius, Sam is a top astrophysicist and a robotics and software engineer who knows 14 programming languages. He’s also an astronomer and has won the Bok Prize, the most prestigious award for masters students who have impressed the Astronomical Society of Australia. 

Sam is currently completing his Doctorate of Philosophy and has had 16 academic works published. He’s been invited to universities around the world to lecture and has been impressing professional industry leaders at each destination.  

“Naïve statistics say it’s unlikely that I will win but I’m going to try! Stranger things have happened before and it would be pretty cool for a smart nerdy kid to take out the prize.” 

Hoping to make himself useful at camp by making shelters and fire, Sam is planning to be an integral part of his tribe not by winning challenges but by supporting his friends and being himself saying, “It’ll probably be a mistake but I want to be me. I’ve been working out but I don’t imagine I’ll get to the point where I’ll be a challenge beast like other players will. 

If he makes it to the end, Sam isn’t going to forget his roots.  “I’ve been a student my entire life, always scraping by. If I win, the title will be enough but I would use the prize money to buy myself a car so I can actually get around. Plus help some of my mates and my family.”"

"Meet Sam" pre-game interview video (YouTube):