Make Wingham great again.
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That’s the focus of Mick Sullivan – Group 10’s most-celebrated captain-coach of all-time – who kicked off his first pre-season in charge of the Tigers last weekend, having linked with his junior club for 2019.
For the most part the Tigers have always been competitive and made regular finals appearances but in terms of titles it’s been lean recently, with the club’s last top grade premiership coming way back in 2003.
But Sullivan’s pledged to do everything in his power to “put Wingham back on the Group 3 map with a premiership”.
It’s a similar pledge he made after signing with Orange CYMS in 2010 and there’s no arguing the fact he succeeded in green and gold – his seven grand final appearances and five premierships in those nine years are proof of that.
“I’m not coming home to go through the motions,’’ Sullivan, who’s committed to the club for 2020 as well, said.
“I aim to win a premiership. I want to put Wingham back on the Group 3 map with a premiership.
“I don’t want our supporters asking why the club’s signed me.’’
Sullivan knows how it feels to win a title in Tigers’ colour too, which is extra incentive.
He won one in 1997 after being promoted from under 18s by then-coach Matt Robinson. Wingham defeated Forster-Tuncurry that year, a side that included Sullivan’s older brother Scott, coincidentally.
That was the last time he played with the club before chasing his NRL dream and while he’s well-aware he’s not quite as sprightly as he was back then he will return in a playing capacity, the 38-year-old assuring the Tigers’ faithful he’s got plenty left to give.
“I’m feeling the best I have for years,’’ he said, although even he admits he had a long history with hamstring and knee injuries during his Group 10 stint.
He’s set to partner 2018 player-coach Danny Russell in the halves. Russell’s 36, so they’ll form the oldest halves pairing in the competition next year.
Sullivan doesn’t see that as an issue though.
“We can direct the team around and I know Danny had a good year last season,’’ he said.
“And if we’re getting shut down we can always make changes on the field.’’
The enigmatic Kurt Lewis, another former player-coach, will also return to play under Sullivan after spending last winter with Muswellbrook and the club is locked in negotiations with a prop from outside the area too.
MORE IN LEAGUE: Players on the move: Group 10 and Group 11 signings for 2019
“But it’s not always about buying players – I found at Orange that sometimes it’s just finding the player who can best fill a position,’’ Sullivan explained, he’ll apply plenty of what he learned in CYMS colours to his new club.
More than 30 players showed up for last weekend’s initial pre-season session, which is a positive start to a season Sullivan’s already labelled surreal.
He never thought he’d have the chance to wear a Wingham jersey again, let alone in a coming full circle-style farewell.
“I didn’t think it would ever happen, but when the opportunity came I grabbed it,’’ he said.
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