Before he was a teen, Andrew McCullough was touted as a special talent.
Playing five-eighth in his junior years, the veteran first entered the Brisbane system at the age of 12.
In the coming years he would progress through the academy alongside the likes of Ben Hunt and even play Australian Schoolboys as a No.6.
In that team, Kieran Foran played centre, Jake Friend hooker and Hunt half.
But as he edged closer to first grade, the thought to discussion around shifting positions grew momentum.
Afterall, the Broncos had one of the greatest five-eighths the game has seen in Darren Lockyer.
With a mortgage on the jersey, shifting from the halves to hooker was a call McCullough was more than happy to make.
It was halfway through 2008 when the change occurred, and he hasn’t looked back.
“Athletically, I’m not the fastest guy,” McCullough told the Our Town Our Team podcast on Facebook.
“Having that hooker role adapted to my type of style of player. I was never going to play five-eighth at the Broncos having Darren Lockyer there.
“It was a blessing in disguise. It worked out well for me.”
A few months after shifting roles and under the tutelage of PJ Marsh and Aaron Gorrell a 19-year-old McCullough made his debut against Cronulla.
The Wayne Bennett coached team lost that day but McCullough was off and running.
With Sam Thaiday keeping an eye out for him, McCullough felt more and more comfortable in the team but admits it wasn’t until the 100-game mark that he genuinely felt like a first grader.
“I never really felt like I belonged until the hundred game mark,” he said.
“Around that, you’re a true first grader and cemented myself as a first grader. That’s how I felt.”
Across his career he played in the 2015 grand final, made his State of Origin debut for Queensland and made his mark as a leader of the Broncos.
But after 12 seasons at the Broncos and 260 games, McCullough made the decision to move mid-year and join the Knights.
It all happened quickly.
After missing several call from his manager, McCullough was presented with an opportunity to move to Newcastle.
“It felt right,” McCullough said.
“When you get asked something you sort of know straight away if it’s going to be a good one or not.
“I was really excited and keen and had to make the call within 24-28 hours and it was done.”
Eight games into his Knights career, the No.9 tore his hamstring off the bone.
“There’s three tendons that got screwed and stitched back on the bone,” he said.
“It was painful at the time.”
Sidelined indefinitely and not contracted with the Knights beyond this year, the No.9 is remaining positive as he rehabilitates the leg.
“It’s traveling along really well,” he said of his recovery.
“Doing plenty of exercises. That’s just part of footy. You just have to get back to training and working hard and make sure it’s as close to possible as it can be on the break so when pre-season rolls around you give yourself every chance possible to set up your year and get back in good shape.”
