The inside story of the smoko phone call that changed new Magpie Sullivan's life

An electrician by trade, it was a smoko at work that forever changed the course of Lachie Sullivan’s life.

The now-26-year-old Magpie debuted last Friday in front of the biggest home and away crowd a Collingwood versus Carlton clash has ever seen, snapping a goal with his first kick to cap off a long and arduous journey to the top.

Overlooked in more than half a dozen drafts and forgetting to nominate for others, Sullivan’s rise to a starring role in a stirring six-point win is an inspirational one.

It all started to change for the former Footscray VFL captain after being overlooked by the Western Bulldogs in last year’s National Draft and taking a break at work some days later.

“I think it was about a week after the draft, I had got over it, it was a tough time but similarly you just have to move on,” Sullivan remembered on SEN’s Future Stars.

“I remember I was at smoko one day and had seen they had a few boys trying out at Collingwood and a few of them were midfielders and they were looking for midfield depth. So I called Pickers (my manager, Liam Pickering)… I hadn’t spoken to him in a while so we were just having a general chat about everything, then speaking about clubs and what every club was doing with (pre-season supplemental selection).

“I’d never been given a chance to train with anyone and I was just desperate to. So we were speaking about Collingwood’s midfield depth... Pickers gave Derek Hine a call, the head recruiter at Collingwood, and he organised for us to have a meeting with Dekker and Josh Fraser, the VFL coach.

“We didn’t know if it was for VFL or AFL or a train-on opportunity, we just had a meeting… it must have gone well and we organized a medical on the Monday and even then, just because I had so much disappointment throughout my journey, I still didn’t know if it was for a definite train-on spot until the Tuesday.

“Then Pickers called me and said, ‘you’re on mate’. I remember I was at Coles at the checkout and I was stoked, just to finally get the chance to actually train. The rest is sort of history I guess.”

Sullivan was one of six train-on players at Collingwood at that time and fast forward two months, he was selected to join the Magpies alongside former Bomber Josh Eyre and ex-Saint Jack Bytel.

After being named emergency on multiple occasions, his chance came last Friday, with midfielder Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell both injured.

Sullivan started as the sub and came on with his side in trouble against the Blues but changed the game for his side. He booted a crafty major within three minutes of coming on and eventually finished with a game-high eight score involvements, despite playing only 43 per cent of the match.

“It was just surreal really. Running out, we had the minute’s silence (to raise awareness) of violence against women in the middle,” the 180cm midfielder added.

“It was sort of annoying I was sub because I was ready to run through a brick wall after Darcy (Moore) gave me a little pump up (in the huddle), telling me to enjoy it in front of all the boys.

“Then I had to run to the bench, which was a bit annoying. I just had to get on as soon as possible to calm the nerves, sitting in that back row just waiting. I wanted to get on and get a touch and it’s funny how it all works out.

“Unfortunately Beau (McCreery) got concussed and then my chance came… I never thought I would be something like that but that roar was unbelievable, I won’t be forgetting that ever.”

Sullivan is expected to hold his spot for Collingwood’s Mother’s Day clash against West Coast, with a win likely to see the Magpies jump into the top eight for the first time in 2024.