Surfing: Merewether's Ryan Callinan takes a simplified approach for Bells, Margaret River

Callinan, fresh from a Surfest final appearance at home in Newcastle last weekend, arrives at Australia's two-event leg of the season sitting equal 31^st on the men's rankings.

This leaves him 4480 points outside the current cut line, which sees the World Surf League field reduced from 36 to 24 after upcoming stops at Bells and Margaret River.

Earlier this year he missed Pipeline with a broken wrist and was then knocked out in the round of 32 at both Sunset and Portugal.

"In a way the five-event cut obviously makes it hard, but for me, not really having any results so far, it kind of just simplifies it," Callinan told the Newcastle Herald.

"I just need results. It doesn't matter who I surf against or anything else, the next two events I've just got to make as many heats as I can. I haven't actually looked at what I need [points wise], I've just got to keep going and surf as much as I can."

The competition window at Bells opens on Sunday with Callinan, who finished third at the famed Victorian break in 2019, pitted against Seth Moniz and Callum Robson in the first heat.

"I feel like I have what it takes to do really well here and I'm excited to just try and show what I can do on the waves that I get," he said.

Callinan sits alongside fellow Merewether representative Morgan Cibilic (2925 points) while Surfest champion Jackson Baker (5980) is equal 23^rd. The Margaret River Pro starts on April 24.

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