Hickey originally played with Katandra in the Central Goulburn Valley Football League from 1947 to 1949.
In 1951, Hickey only kicked 30 goals for Shepparton[11] as his season was interrupted by an ongoing permits dispute.
[12] He later played in Shepparton's 1951 premiership team, alongside his brother, Denis.
[13] Recruited from Shepparton, Hickey made 13 appearances for Fitzroy in 1952, including their preliminary final loss to Collingwood.
[14] Following the death of his father in a road accident on 25 February 1954, Hickey decided to work at his Invergordon farm full-time[15] and returned to the [[Goulburn Valley Football League to play with Shepparton.