Veteran midfielder Michael Rischitelli insists there is no lingering bad blood between himself and the Brisbane Lions, despite the club’s 2010 Best & Fairest winner walking out to sign with the fledging Gold Coast team for its inaugural season.

“It’s all water under the bridge, it’s part of footy these days,” he told The Gold Coast Bulletin. 

“I don’t really think about it too much. I suppose it’s like anything, if you dwell on things like that then you’re probably the one who’s going crazy about it.

“There’s no burning anger at all, not even deep down do I feel I owe them one or two.

“They did what they felt was right and I couldn’t do much about it. It happens.”

The seasoned 159-game player formally joined the SUNS at the end of the Lions’ disappointing 2010 campaign, a season where they won just seven from 22 games and finished 13^th in the premiership race. 

He was one of six uncontracted players to relocated to the Glitter Strip for that first season, joining the likes of Nathan Bock, Nathan Krakouer, Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Fraser and star midfielder Gary Ablett.

Fellow Lions teammate Jared Brennan also made the bold move to leave behind Brisbane in favour of the Gold Coast’s glamourous beach lifestyle, prompting Lions champion Simon Black to label the pair as “mercenaries”. 

After three seasons in the red and gold though, Rischitelli says his publicised history with Brisbane is behind him now, with the vice-captain’s sole focus on leading the SUNS’ youngsters in their hunt to be serious finals contenders in the coming years. 

But he did suggest a win over Brisbane would taste slightly sweeter given his side’s five consecutive losses to its closest AFL rival. 

“We’d love to get on top of the Lions,” he said.

“Obviously they’re the big brother and have been teaching us a few tricks so I’m pretty certain the boys are ready for this one.

“There is definitely feeling there and it’s good for Queensland to have that rivalry.”

In past QClash matches, the Lions have often turned the local derbies into a dog fight by adopting a more physical brand of football and thwarting their opponent’s ability to spread to the outside.

“If anything, they’ve sort of brought us down to their level, whereas if we get on the front foot early on, then we can show them our brand of footy, which is good enough to beat the best.”