Tears and timely falcon: Melbourne Storm utility Bronson Garlick’s remarkable NRL debut at age 27

A throng of fans, dressed mainly in purple, rose to their feet to celebrate the debut of Storm utility Bronson Garlick.

“I think it was 82 (people) in the end,” Garlick said of his makeshift fan club.

“It was cool that everyone rallied around it.”

The large group had all travelled to Parramatta together, hiring a bus to make their way through the streets of western Sydney, proudly waving cutouts of Garlick’s head and signs to celebrate his debut.

Garlick was told on Tuesday that he would be playing his first NRL game and immediately passed the message onto his dad, former rugby league player Sean Garlick, and brother.

They sprung into action.

“I said I didn’t want to think about it, just get as many as you can out here,” he said.

“I looked up in that southwest grandstand and there were a fair few out there.”

After the Storm came away with a stunning golden-point victory thanks to Harry Grant’s heroics, Garlick was quick to join his supporters.

Since making his NSW Cup debut in 2016, Garlick had played more than 120 matches in reserve grade, always being on the fringes. At times he had given up on his rugby league dream.

Following 12 months on a development contract at Melbourne, he was upgraded to the top 30 squad earlier his year and now got to celebrate his moment with those that had been with him at every turn.

Emotions got the better of him.

“I saw my mum and dad, my girlfriend and both my brothers,” he said. “I started running over and the tears started falling out, it was crazy.

“I’m 27. There was a couple of years ago I thought I’d have to play part-time or NSW Cup or Queensland Cup to finish my playing career.

“Then to come down to Melbourne, it was an opportunity I had to take with both hands.

“I’m really proud that I’ve stuck it out for so long. Twenty-seven years old, I finally got here.

“Whether this is my first and only game or I play a couple more, this is the greatest day of my life.”

*****

Bronson’s dad had some simple advice for him in his first match.

“He just said to get my hands on the ball early and try and get in one of the tackles and then just get into my job.”

It didn’t take long for Garlick to appreciate the intensity of playing in the NRL. Being on the end of a tackle from Junior Paulo or Reagan Campbell-Gillard would do that to anyone.

But there was one factor he didn’t take into account.

“I was gassed in five minutes, but I felt pretty good,” he said.

“I was just worried about the ball. I was saying to Craig [Bellamy] before, I’ve never really played a night game. The dew on the ball made it a little bit greasy.

“NSW and Queensland Cup, it’s all pretty much [afternoons]. So to play at eight o’clock, I was pretty nervous all day waiting around so long. Had to have a bit of a sleep, not that I got much shut eye.”

Garlick threw himself into the action, with 12 tackles and a tackle break in his short stint on the field.

But while his head was spinning at full-time as he came to terms with making his debut, a timely falcon that stopped a Mitch Moses field goal with three minutes to go may have contributed to it.

“It actually hit me square in the eye,” he admitted.

“I didn’t think I was going to get there but I could have saved that in the end, lucky it hit me in the head.

“Little falcon there to save it. It was amazing.”

*****

When Garlick thought his dream of an NRL career wouldn’t eventuate, he had thrown himself into the family business, Garlo’s Pies.

He worked as the company’s marketing manager — “I was doing pretty well” — but the move to Melbourne put that role on the backburner.

However, it has unexpectedly opened up new doors as Garlo’s looks to expand around Australia.

“I’m still working really hard to stay involved with the business, even down in Melbourne,” he said.

“We’re about to launch in Melbourne in Coles soon. I’ve got all the boys on board to rally around and get some Storm appearances.

“They’re bugging me non-stop to bring pies in.”

He knows the competition to break into the Melbourne pie market will be just as hard as securing a regular spot in the Storm’s first-grade side.

But just as his family supported him after his NRL breakthrough, he already has his sights set on continuing the Garlick legacy.

“I feel like the family business is my passion away from footy. That’s what I’ll probably do with the rest of my life, so it’s pretty cool to have that.”