Gary Sullivan (rugby league)

Gary Sullivan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative forward, he played club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership for Newtown.

Gary Sullivan

Personal information
Born	(1947-10-18) 18 October 1947 (age 77) Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1966–69 Kurri Kurri 1970–75 Newtown 107 13 0 0 39 Total 107 13 0 0 39 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1970–72 Australia 7 2 0 0 6 1972–73 New South Wales 3 1 0 0 3 1973 City NSW 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]

Rugby career

After playing for Kurri Kurri, Sullivan moved to Sydney to play in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for Newtown in 1970. After only six first-grade games he was selected for Australia's victorious 1970 World Cup squad at lock. Following Ron Coote's decision to stand down from representative football in 1972, Sullivan made his New South Wales début before being selected in two Tests against New Zealand.^[4] He scored two tries in Australia's 36–11 win at the SCG before playing in the Second Test in Brisbane. At the end of the year Sullivan was selected for Australia's 1972 World Cup campaign. He was selected to play at lock forward in the tournament final against Great Britain which was drawn at 10-10.^[5]

Sullivan later played in the Newcastle Rugby League in the late 1970s.

In 2010 he was named at lock forward in Kurri Rugby League Club's team of the century.^[6]

Criminal activities

Between 1985 and 1991, Sullivan with the help of his stepfather, Bill Orchard, stole more than $3 million in 14 separate armed robberies of banks and armoured cars.^[7] These crimes took place in a variety of locations between Logan City, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

In 1991, when Sullivan and his stepfather were finally apprehended, they had pulled off 6 out of the top 10 heists in total amount stolen in Queensland history. Once Sullivan and Orchard were apprehended, they both made individual confessions to at least some of the offenses.

On 13 December 1991, Sullivan and Orchard were convicted of 12 offenses of Armed Robbery and 2 offenses of Armed Robbery in Accompany of Violence. Each were sentenced to 20 years in prison with eligibility of parole beginning after 7 years.

References

1. stats.rleague.com
2. "nrlstats.com". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
3. rugbyleagueproject.org
4. "Gary Sullivan". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
5. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 (ISBN 1875169571)
6. cessnockadvertiser.com.au (21 July 2010). "Kurri Rugby League Club announces Team of the Century". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
7. Reporter, Jordan Baker Chief Police (8 March 2008). "It's a crime: how footy heroes go bad". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 January 2022.