Lachie Sullivan’s journey to the big stage has been like no other.
The 26-year-old made his AFL debut in front of nearly 90,000 fans at the MCG in the Carlton v Collingwood blockbuster on Friday night, booting a goal with his first kick.
Sullivan was injected into the game as the substitute after Beau McCreery failed a concussion test and it didn’t take long for the mature-age recruit to make his mark.
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“It’s still pretty surreal… I never thought it would happen like that,” the Collingwood midfielder told Fox Footy’s AFL360.
“I just wanted to go out there and try and get a touch as soon as possible so I could chill the nerves.
“I’ve had the weekend to catch up with the family and enjoy it, but as you know, footy moves quick, on to the next one.”
Sullivan said the feeling when running onto the ground was “pretty amazing” as he got to live out his childhood dream.
“I remember Lachie Schultz came off and I went on, he got around me as I went on,” he said.
“I looked around to soak it all up and then was straight in the action, I think I started on Patrick Cripps.”
Sullivan nailed a snap with his first ever kick, joining the exclusive first goal with his first kick club.
Just two teams in flag window | 04:02
“I started as a forward in the stoppage, I just shaped corridor and got a bit lucky, and it fell in my lap,” he said.
“I just threw it on the boot, and it went through.”
Sullivan’s mum, Fiona, said it was “the best experience” to watch her son debut.
“We had family over from WA and Sydney, we saw McCreery go down, we didn’t know if Lachie would get on,” she said.
“I said to these girls in front, if #33 comes on, cheer him!
“He came on and kicked a goal, it was just incredible.
“For what Lachie’s been through on his journey, I’m so proud of him, it’s amazing, he’s fulfilled his dream now, it’s brilliant, that’s been his dream his whole life.
“After the let down in November, I was thinking that’s probably it for him, but he pursued his passion and he’s been so dedicated.”
McRae’s reaction to winning thriller | 04:54
Sullivan had been forced to bide his time in Footscray’s VFL program before being picked up by the Pies in the pre-season supplementary selection period.
“Coming out of under 18s when it doesn’t happen, it’s pretty flattening,” he said.
“My first year out of footy I was at Port Melbourne, I was pretty far from it, I couldn’t get a game in the VFL reserves at the time.
“That was a flattening moment, the recent couple of drafts, you think you’re a good chance going in, but things didn’t go my way, you’ve just got to move on and keep striving.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without my family by my side and supporting me the whole way.
“For it to finally happen, at the MCG against Carlton on a Friday night in front of nearly 90 thousand was a pretty awesome moment.”
Beau McCreery’s mother, Julie, went viral this time last year when she delivered a pre-game address for the ages before Collingwood’s clash on Mother’s Day.
And Fiona Sullivan might be Craig McRae’s next secret weapon.
“We were at the jumper presentation last week and learnt a few little things from ‘Fly’, I got a few tips from him,” she said.
“One of the things I learnt the other day when I was there was the flame, the match, the hotspots…”
“That’s a bit of Collingwood IP!” AFL360 co-host Mark Robinson laughed.
“Go and enjoy, love it!” she replied.
“What Beau’s mum said will probably do,” Sullivan said.
Source Agencies
