SMOOTH moving utility Georgia Garlick has played a variety of roles in the past for Bendigo Pioneers and looks like settling between half-forward and midfield in 2026. The massive Hawks supporter is keen to make every post a winner this season and is focused on improving a host of elements in her game.

We spoke to Garlick at the Talent League Girls Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, game, rolemodels and goals for the year ahead.

Q: Georgia, tell us a little bit about your footy journey?

GG: “The start of my football journey I usually watched my brothers play on a weekend and I was just little, young, very eager to start so I asked mum and dad if I could start playing. My older brothers encouraged mum and dad to let me play and that’s where it kicked off.”

Q: Did you play any other sports growing up?

GG: “I played basketball growing up and I’ve only recently just stopped playing but I played all the way through my junior years which was great fun, and then footy took over.”

Q: Was that at a high level?

GG: “I just played rep for Nunawading Spectres, and when I moved to Bendigo I played for Bendigo Braves on a Friday night and that’s about as far as I got with basketball.”

Q: How’s your preseason been so far?

GG: “Preseason’s been great. Feeling strong, fit, ready for the season which will be good. The girls have trained really hard and our team’s looking great for the year.”

Q: How has the preseason been with Vic Country?

GG: “In the summer hub it was great. Met lots of girls from different Talent League teams and found some really good connections within the group. They’re a great bunch of girls to train with and hang around with off the field as well.”

Q: What role or position do you think you’ll play?

GG: “I think primarily I’ll be in the high-forward and then rotating inside mid to give a couple of the mids a chop out and I think it will be great.”

Q: What are some of your strengths and improvements?

GG: “Some things I’m good at is my ground work and my ability to kick to a tall inside 50. Some things I’m not so great at that still needs a bit of work is probably those short 45s which has been something big that I’ve been working on in preseaosn, and then probably one more thing would be my overhead mark which has been another big thing working on in preseason so hopefully I keep ticking those off and get better at them.”

Q: Do you tend to watch a lot of football?

GG: “I do try and watch my team a lot of the time on a weekend or on a Friday night when they’re playing.”

Q: Who do you go for?

GG: “I go for Hawthorn Hawks, they’re a great club and I love watching them.”

Q: Any reason you’re into the Hawks?

GG: “My grampa (Bob Moore) was big with them, and he worked with the club for a bit so that’s why I’m big with them.”

Q: Are there any players you model your game on?

GG: “I just try and look at those high forwards. Nick Watson how he goes hard at ground level getting those crumbs inside 50 and kicking a few goals if he can. Just base a bit off that.”

Q: What goals have you set up for yourself this year?

GG: “This year I’ve set up a few goals. I’d love to put on the Vic Country guernsey which would be great, and hopefully get drafted on the backend. They’re a few of my big goals, but the small goals are ticking away at the room of improvements on my game and really carrying the girls through the season as a whole.”