Despite he’s leaving St George Illawarra Dragons today ‘Disappointment will be on Shane Flanagan
Bud Sullivan is ready to write a new chapter in his career and, potentially, with a new name.
More commonly known as Jayden, the 22-year-old told foxsports.com.au he wants to be known by Bud, his family name, moving forward.
“My dad had always called me Bud when I was little and then when I started getting around footy and stuff dad always called me Bud and it stuck,” Sullivan explained.
The former Dragons playmaker may be committed to changing his name but one thing he is hoping won’t change anytime soon is the new colours he will be wearing after four years in the red and white, declaring he feels like the Tigers are “going to be my new home for a very long time.
Sullivan floated in and out of the NRL at the Dragons, managing just 27 games and playing four different positions as he struggled to lock down a consistent role in the Red V.
Injuries didn’t help either, with Sullivan plagued by hamstring issues while also suffering an AC joint setback earlier in 2023.
“Obviously my body has let me down a fair bit in the past and this is the lightest I will be… because I was playing in the middle and on the edge it was a bit hard,” Sullivan said.
“I was up and down in body weight. I was 90 kilos last year, 85 to 86 kilos this year. It’s been a big difference and the body feels good. I feel fast.”
Sullivan said he initially came to the Tigers wanting to “cement” the No. 7 jersey and while halfback remains his preference, the 22-year-old has altered his focus to simply wanting to “do what’s best for the team.
