‘Something I’m proud to be thought of asa person’: Garlick humbled by scholarship

BENDIGO Pioneers AFLW Draft prospect Georgia Garlick never met David Meade, the club’s late former operations coordinator and talent lead.

But she has heard enough in her years at the Pioneers to know that winning a scholarship named in his honour is a big deal and a humbling experience.

Garlick is the fourth Pioneers player to be a recipient of the David Meade Scholarship.

Established by the Meade family and friends, alongside Pioneers staff, it provides ongoing support to the club’s girls and boys programs, including players and their families.

The scholarship is awarded to a Pioneers player who embodies the attributes of consistency in preparation, competitiveness, diligence, relationships and planning.

They are traits that Garlick, who is currently representing Victoria Country at the Under-18 Girls AFL National Championships, not only possesses in abundance but excels in, and ultimately made her a worthy winner of the scholarship.

She follows in the footsteps of previous winners Pala Kuma, West Coast Eagles AFL forward Lucia Painter and Riley Dillon.

Meade, not only a key figure at the Pioneers but a life member of the Bendigo Triathlon club, lost his private battle with cancer on 7 October 2022, aged 52.

Garlick, who turned 18 on 1 July, was ‘very grateful and honoured’ to be recognised.

“Especially for the traits David carried throughout his life,” she said.

“This is something I’m proud to be thought of as a person and to know my hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by a family that has poured so much into the community.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the Pioneers program when David was around, but I have met the rest of the family. It was very humbling.”

Meade’s wife Paula and children Jack and Billy were proudly at the QEO for the announcement.

Garlick, who moved to Bendigo with her family from Yea about seven years ago, has come a long way in her football journey.

She initially played her junior football with Kangaroo Flat, but made the move with a friend to Sandhurst after a couple of seasons.

A talented multi-code athlete, she also played basketball with the Bendigo Braves junior representative teams before homing in on football as her priority.

 

“It’s been exceptional,” Garlick said of the family’s move to Bendigo. “Not only for myself, but the entire family.

“Being able to have things close by and not having to travel copious amounts, it’s been a good move with our sport, school, friends, everything.”

Garlick, who has been in the Pioneers system now for four years, was talent-identified while playing for her school, Marist College, in year 8.

“(Former coach) Whitney Kennedy asked me whether I’d be interested in coming down to train,” she said.

“I didn’t hesitate in saying yes. That’s where it all kickstarted and now it’s draft year.

“The Pioneers have been great with my top-age year, and not just my top-age year, but ever since I started.

“They have always advocated for everything we need as footballers and people.

“It is my draft year, so I am hoping to make something of it.”

To that end, Garlick is doing all she can to make AFLW clubs sit up and take notice, having featured in the best players in two of the three games she has played for Victoria Country at the national championships, the most recent against Western Australia last Saturday.

Playing in defence against Queensland on 28 June, she racked up 23 disposals, five marks, five tackles, two clearances and seven rebound 50s.

Garlick is relishing the elite competition.

“It was a real privilege to get selected alongside a couple of other Pioneers girls,” she said.

“I’ve been playing a new role in the backline … half-back and pushing up into the contest.

“It’s where I can showcase my best footy.”

Garlick will have one last chance to impress for Victoria Country, with the team’s final game against South Australian to be played this Saturday (11 July) at Kennedy Community Centre, the headquarters of AFL club Hawthorn.

The Pioneers are well represented in the squad through Lacey Nihill (also Sandhurst), Nyah Nyah West’s Issy Boulton, and Echuca’s Beth Morris.

Once the championships are over, Garlick’s focus will return to not only her Pioneers season but her year 12 studies and deciding on how to put her David Meade Scholarship to best use.

“It (the scholarship) is a huge reward and I’m really looking forward to developing myself as a person and a footballer,” she said.

“I’m just very grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given with it.

“I’ve had a meeting with Rick (Pioneers regional talent lead Rick Coburn) and he gave me some ideas on what I might focus on with the scholarship.

“As a person and with my football, I really want to prioritise my recovery.

“Running around and taking a lot of bumps to the body, recovery is definitely a priority, so there’s some opportunities there I can focus on.”