The Yeoman Football Club has lost another of its true legends, with the passing of Garry Pearce. Garry passed away suddenly on the 18th of May at the age of 67.
Yeoman president Shaun O'Neill posted this on Facebook in tribute.
I don’t really know how to start this, however I do not think that anything I can write will do the man justice that Garry Pearce was.
It is with great sadness that I would like to advise of his passing at the early hours this morning due to what we believe to be a heart attack. Garry Pearce made a monumental contribution to the Yeoman Football Club in countless amounts of ways.
Starting his Yeoman journey back in 1974 and entering into what would have been his 47th season of service this year, with a games tally well over 400 in 21 playing seasons. Although Garry preferred not to dwell on individual success as he felt that the team/club successes was much more important, he did win the Harrison Medal for Reserves Best and Fairest three times. Once in 1974, 1980 and 1987 during his playing years.
Garry was an active member of the Committee for dozens of years, serving in various capacities including but not limited to, goal umpire, central umpire, runner and also helping his muched loved Grandson Bradley learn the ropes as water boy even through the tops no longer fit him that well.
He was in fact, a backbone of the Club and always on hand to help. He was a driving force for those older members who have been working behind the scenes for numerous years to support Yeoman financially through such activities as wood chopping. He was a pro at doing this, often showing us younger fellas how wood chopping was done. Taking three swings to get through what would take most of us at least ten. He was a long-time sponsor of the Club through his timber business. Garry was famous for his annual player breakfast to help build morale throughout the club, something which he was passionate about. Being a founding member of the platinum club which consisted of himself, and the three Wynwood brothers, Russell, Gregory (better known as Tom) and Peter, they are the inaugural part of the wood chopping fundraising. I’m sure they are still all baring the wounds of many many splinters caused that raised much needed funds for the Yeoman Football Club.
When I think of Garry I have many great memories. It wasn’t until I heard of his passing this morning that one really stood out to me. I remember that during my first year as President of the Yeoman Football Club, he made it known to me that I had his full support. Every time I would see him he would say to me “how are you going long fellow?” or “where’s your little mate?” (referring to my lifelong friend Emmett Davidson who brought me to Yeoman). This would be quickly followed by, “have we got any new players?? Or how’s the club going?” In true Pearcey style he wanted to offer support. I’m not sure I would have gotten through those early years without Garry’s support and reassurance.
I recall in 2018 we had guest speakers come in and talk after training on a Wednesday night. They would be asked a series of questions by Danny Crothers whose initiative lead to a lot of people from Yeoman’s past return to the club and share their lives and football experiences. One particular evening we were privileged to have Anthony “George” Blachford come along who as everyone would know is a much respected Yeoman man who has given a lot to the club we love. On this night, Danny ask George (as he did the guest speakers before him) “who is the best player you have played with”. I remember distinctively that George paused for a moment, as you could tell that he was putting some thought into his response and said “Well, Peter Wynwood was as good as any player you will come across (which is a great compliment for Peter as I’m sure George would have played with a lot of great players) but a lot can be said for players like Garry Pearce”. George then went on to tell a story about Garry that I will not forget for as long as I live. George (who was the senior coach at the time) recalled on a day back in 1984, Yeoman was set to play against Sprent in the last game of the home and away season. Both teams would have a chance to play on the following week in finals however, each teams fate was dependent on the result of this particular game.
Yeoman, as a team that was relatively young had been (as the story was told) “knocked around” in their previous encounters with Sprent who were notorious at the time for their intimidation tactics. George, being the tactical thinker that he is, sort a resolution to this problem and approached Garry who was playing in the reserves at the time and asked him to do something for him. “I’m going to call you up to the seniors for this week’s game and it’s for one reason, I need to you to look after our young fellas and stop them getting knocked around”. Garry (who was set to play in the finals for the reserves the following week) accepted the role without hesitation and (although he would never admit it) may have gotten knocked around his fair share by the Sprent boys himself rose to the occasion and helped lead the team to victory and to play on into the finals. I always found it interesting that this was the story that George told in detail when asked who he thought was the best player that he had played with and is a true reflection to the man that Garry was.
Over a decade later when Garry was appointed coach of the reserves in 1995 George (who was club President at the time) approached Garry and told him “I have not forgot what you had done for me and I owe you one” and offered his services that led to a premiership in the clubs centenary year a side which included not only Garry and George but both their sons Phillip Pearce and Wes Blachford, a memory that I’m sure they all cherish, one that will forever go down in the books as being a favourite memory for Garry I’m sure. (pictured below).
As I reminisce, I’m reminded by my own story of Garry. I was playing in the reserves against Cuprona in terrible conditions, I do not think the weather could have been any worse. This particular day Garry was performing the role of central umpire and Yeoman had the lead for most of the game until for whatever reason, Cuprona came back at us in the last quarter closing in on our thirty point lead that we had up until three quarter time. I was playing fullback and the ball was on the last line of defence and I was having a hard time trying not to concede another goal when I slapped the ball between my legs through what I thought would be a behind and we could reset and gain possession of the ball when I heard Garry blow his whistle followed by “free kick, you can’t scoop the ball like that” putting the Cuprona full forward straight in front with a guaranteed goal (which it was). Between the time I got myself up off the ground and the time the goal was kicked Garry and I had some choice words (that would be the polite way to describe it) before Garry said “Sleaves (as he would often call me as I always wore long sleaves but have them pulled up), if you keep going you’re going to give away a free kick in the middle” to which I didn’t respond. We went on to lose the game and I felt partly responsible as I did not get the job done on the Cuprona full forward in the last quarter. Garry came up to me in the club rooms and said “I suppose you’re not talking to me now?” I responded by giving him a hug and said “you know I love you Garry” and we went on to debate with less heat in the conversation about if he made the right call, a debate we had until this day but the truth is, (although I have never admitted he was right until today) he was right, I did scoop the ball – I will now never get the chance to give him the gratitude of telling him he was right.
When Pearcey wasn’t on my back as an umpire you could always count on him to be in the change rooms at half time. If he was done filling up the water bottles for the boys he was offering helpful pointers and encouragement to all the players. Everyone had time for Pearcey and what advice he would have to offer. Always making sure the coach had finished his speech first out of respect before putting in his valuable input. If I was having a bad game he would always be there to encourage me and offer pointers on how to have a better impact on my game. No matter how bad I thought I was playing or even on the rare occasion where I played well he was always full of praise which was a great feeling coming from a man that I held in such high regard. After the game you would always find Garry at the bar with his diet coke, (which is all I’ve ever known him to drink apart from a football trip in 2017 where I witnessed him have three lights beers) dissecting the game with the other spectators but always with a positive attitude regardless of the result.
Garry’s continued work ethic and his commitment earned him a Yeoman Life Membership which was followed by earning the utmost prestigious acknowledgment as being inducted into the Legends of Loyalty in 2018. This honour is reserved to the club members who have given decades of service after receiving Life Membership to the club. In many peoples opinion’s Garry would have earnt this many times over.
Garry’s contribution extended beyond the Yeoman Football Club, becoming a valued Life Member of the Darwin Football Association. In recent years he was selected to appoint the boundary umpires for the finals. An honour that Garry took very seriously, meaning Garry would sponsor the trophies given to every boundary umpire during the DFA Finals. He would take great pride in awarding these trophies at the annual DFA Dinner.
Today the Yeoman Football Club lost one of its greats and I have lost a great friend but I have a great friendship I will cherish forever. I can assure you everyone who puts on the red sash for Yeoman will now fight to the finish and celebrate too in the memory of you
Goodbye my old friend, you will not be forgotten.
Shaun O'Neill - President Yeoman Football Club
(L-R): Garry Pearce, Wes Blachford, George Blachford & Phil Pearce following the club's 1995 DFA Reserves premiership.
Last Modified on 16/02/2022 20:52