Lachie Sullivan was ignored for a minimum of eight AFL Drafts and had spent the previous six years engaged on an apprenticeship whereas toiling in footy’s decrease ranks.
On Friday night time in entrance of round 90,000 followers, the mature-age recruit nailed a purpose together with his first AFL kick and helped flip Collingwood’s mammoth conflict with outdated rival Carlton on its head.
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A 180cm midfielder, Sullivan had absolutely given up on his AFL dream regardless of profitable consecutive finest and fairest awards for Footscray within the VFL in 2022 and 2023.
The calls from AFL golf equipment nonetheless refused to drop till Collingwood lastly gave the budding electrician a lifeline by way of this 12 months’s pre-season supplemental interval after impressing in trials.
With stars Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell dominated out of the massive match-up with the Blues because of harm, the 26-year-old Sullivan was named because the substitute and instantly made an impression.
Thrown into the fray within the second quarter after Beau McCreery was subbed out with concussion, Sullivan managed to hitch the membership of gamers to nail a purpose with their first AFL kick.
When Jamie Elliott moved the ball ahead within the Collingwood 50m arc it dropped to Harvey Harrison, who gave a handball to Sullivan.
He then lived the dream when he snapped really together with his right-foot to ship the gang into raptures as he was mobbed by nearly each Collingwood participant on the bottom.
It additionally got here with the Pies trailing by 14 factors and helped spark an unimaginable turnaround as Collingwood kicked the final 4 targets of the half to take an 11-point lead into the principle break.
“Right here he’s, the first-gamer!” James Brayshaw screamed in commentary. “What a second. What a second. Lachie Sullivan.
“How good, 26 years of age, he’s waited ceaselessly. That’s so good.”
Matthew Richardson then known as a replay of the magic second.
“Effectively how good is that this, 26 years of age in your first recreation of AFL footy,” he stated.
“Appeared composed, completely nailed it. His teammates all get to him, they understand how particular that’s, how lengthy he’s needed to wait.”
“Everyone bought a thrill out of that, apart from the Blues followers,” Brian Taylor added.
Sullivan wasn’t completed, as from the following passage of play he bought a free kick for prime contact and located Patrick Lipinski, whose ahead 50m entry was marked by Mason Cox.
The American-born Cox kicked the purpose because the debutant made one other key impression.
“Superb scenes. Down two factors right here now and the ignition occurred actually when Sullivan got here onto the bottom,” Taylor stated.
“It’s given everybody a brand new lease of life for the Collingwood facet.”
Sullivan was concerned as soon as extra late within the half, handing off an ideal handball to Oleg Markov, who discovered Lachie Schulz for an additional mark and purpose as Collingwood took the lead for the primary time for the reason that first time period.
