BENDIGO Pioneers top-ager Olivia Lacy earned her first Vic Country Under 18s spot on the weekend, making her debut against Vic Metro at RSEA Park. The smooth-moving midfielder/defender has pieced together some impressive footy in her bottom-age campaign, while having interruptions in 2025.
We spoke to Lacy at the Coates Talent League Girls Preseason Testing Day to hear about her journey, game and goals for the year ahead.
Q: Olivia, tell us a little bit about your footy journey?
OL: “I started when I got a little flyer in the mail for Huntly Hawks, so because I went for Hawks I thought ‘oh I’ve got to go’, so went down, tried it out, didn’t even get out of the car because I was so nervous. Ended up loving it when I did get in to train, actually go the confidence to go. I’ve stuck to it since, went to the local club near my school and then moved to Sandhurst and then stayed there ever since and then got into Pios very luckily and then gone from there.”
Q: Last year you had an injury towards the end of the year, what was it and how did it happen?
OL: ” I got concussed just at training actually. There was about two games left and I missed on them and I missed out on the Futures game which was unlucky, but I got through it because it was end of the season so it was lucky to have it then, so I was fine.”
Q: In terms of the role you’ll play this year, more defence or midfield?
OL: “I feel like for Pios I’ll roll through the mid as one of the bigger bodies for our team as we have a lot of young talent coming through that are a lot of smaller bodies so think I’ll roll through the mid a bit more and obviously be back.”
Q: What do you see as some of the strengths in your game?
OL: “Definitely my tackling, I would say I am more of a defensive player, love to tackle. And contested marking as well.”
Q: What about the improvements looking to make?
OL: “I think I can never be clean enough, I always want to work on my cleanliness. Just like groundballs, handballs, stuff like that.”
Q: Who’s had the most influence on your individual career?
OL: “100 per cent my mum. She’s been with me through the whole journey, she’s always pushing me to be better.”
Q: Which AFL/W club do you support?
OL: “AFL I support Hawks, and AFLW I can’t choose, just the players I support.”
Q: Is there a story behind that?
OL: “No, I think because I didn’t watch AFLW growing up, it came in 2017 so I was only 10 then so I didn’t really watch it but now that I’ve been stop watching the players, I can’t really pick a team.
Q: And the Hawks, are they just family related?
OL: “No not at all, I just wanted to be different I guess. Mum’s Carlton, dad’s Essendon.”
Q: Who’s a player you model game on at the top level?
QL: “Probably Chelsea Biddell from Adelaide.”
Q: What goals do you set for yourself this year?
OL: “I just want to have a consistent year, I want to be able to push the team get a leadership role potentially, even make a final with the team. Team success is what I’m striving for.”
