OF all the stories of the last year, Lilly Pearce’s perhaps has the most twists and turns of them all.

After starting 2023 playing for Southport in the QAFLW, she then found herself with an AFLW injury replacement contract at Richmond, before moving across to the VFLW and then being given a second chance at the AFLW by Geelong for the upcoming season.

Despite everything that has come Pearce’s way in the last year or so, it has not been overwhelming for her.

“I think people from home generally miss you a lot more than you miss them,” Pearce said. “Probably just because you’re creating a new life for yourself and you’ve got so much distraction and you’re just so focused on getting to work and doing what you need to do. So I think that it seemed overwhelming, but it’s probably not as much as it seems.” 

Pearce has come a long way since her early days in the code.

“My mum actually made me play,” she said. “My siblings were signing up to play AFL and she said, you’re going to do it too. Went to the first training and ended up loving it. So, stopped athletics and pursued football.”

Pearce’s journey to being signed at Richmond is one that shows that dedication can get you far.

“So I was playing for Southport Sharks in the QAFLW and did that for a few years,” she said. “Loved it. Loved the girls and the coaches and I really committed to footy in my last year there and did extras and really just applied myself more than I probably ever had in football and Richmond reached out to me and offered me an insane opportunity to come down and play for them.” 

Despite ultimately being delisted by Richmond she said it “instilled me with a desire to play AFLW that I did not had before” and that dictated how her football career has gone since then.

She said staying in Melbourne was an investment in her football future, given the possibility to chase the Gold Coast sun back home was an option.

Living in South Yarra at the time, she signed with the closest VFLW club Collingwood, which worked out well for her because she is also a Collingwood supporter.

After a strong VFLW season, she got another chance at AFLW level, signing with Geelong to replace the retired Erin Hoare.

“I’m excited to connect with the girls and take advantage of all of the coaches and resources that are available,” she said. “I think that this journey is so exciting and it’s really the beginning of hopefully a long and fulfilling career.” 

Life is pretty busy off field for Pearce too, working as a support worker full time and also creating custom artwork when she gets the chance.

Only a week and a half now until Pearce truly gets to see if that persistence was all worth it.