Ricky Sullivan: “It’ll be a good opportunity to further my development and coaching ...”
FORMER Cobden captain Ricky Sullivan is in line to represent Queensland at the Australian country football titles this month.
Sullivan, 26, is part of a 35-man training squad which selectors will cut to 26 ahead of the titles, which are at Wagga Wagga from July 19 to 22.
The hard-running midfielder shifted to Townsville at the start of 2012 and is a playing assistant coach at AFL Townsville club Thuringowa Bulldogs.
Should he win Queensland selection, Sullivan could come up against former Koroit rival Simon O’Keefe, now at Panmure, and Camperdown onballer Sam Chapman.
The Hampden pair are in the Victoria Country (1) training squad.
Sullivan won preliminary state selection after impressing in a Queensland Stockmen versus Cairns representative match.
He said playing representative football was not a consideration when he moved to the sunshine state with partner Lisa Morey.
“I played Vic Country in 2009 and that was obviously my highlight. I missed out in 2010 and hadn’t really thought about it (since then),” he said.
“When I went up to Townsville, it was never on the agenda.
“I was going up there to work on the coaching side of things, more than anything, get some courses under my belt.
“I started playing. It’s pretty easy to get fit up there when it’s so hot. That enabled me to play good footy at a different level of footy.”
Sullivan has been a revelation at unbeaten Thuringowa, which has won the past two AFL Townsville flags.
He has kicked seven goals and featured in the best players in six out of the seven games he’s played, including two best-on-ground displays.
Sullivan said he was looking forward to the national country titles.
“It’ll be a good opportunity to further my development and coaching and get involved in that,” he said.
“Learn what it’s like in Queensland and see the difference in Queensland rep footy and Victorian rep footy and see if they’re behind or in front and what they’re doing to catch up.
“Whenever you get the chance to play rep footy, you always put your hand up, you never say no.”
Sullivan said he was uncertain if he would return to Cobden during his playing days.
“I definitely want to come back at some stage. In saying that, it’s not absolutely critical I do,” he said.
“I do want to play at Cobden and win a premiership with Cobden before my days finish.
“But if things go well up there (at Townsville), I could be involved in an AFL program and I’d want to stay and get involved in that.”
