All good leaders can read the room.
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They sum up the surroundings and make a decision for the better.
"'Garlo' can read the situation," great mate and team-mate Myles Aalbers suggested.
"Say we're struggling and there's no physicality in the game and we need someone to get up for the team, he'd be that guy that would provide a contest."
Luke Garland first started leading the way as a 16-year-old at his beloved Lavington in 2006.
Today, he becomes only the seventh player in the club's 44-year O and M history to play 250 games when it hosts Albury in the final round.
He's had a stack of interest from other clubs over the years but, apart from a year with VFL club Werribee in 2010, hasn't left.
"I probably didn't get what I wanted out of Werribee in the VFL, probably didn't get the opportunities I thought I should and didn't stay long enough." Garland explained.
![Luke Garland holds the 2019 premiership cup with coach Simon Curtis, the highlight of an outstanding career. Luke Garland holds the 2019 premiership cup with coach Simon Curtis, the highlight of an outstanding career.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.moir/d0a3e258-fd47-41a2-877e-eea95b58bf5e.jpg/r0_0_3068_1555_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Now I look back and think I definitely needed more development, potentially a second year, but I don't regret making the decision to come back to 'Lavi' and stay there."
Garland has always loved the O and M. He was in the crowd when Lavington won the 2005 grand final with Darryn McKimmie's winning goal after the siren.
"Those guys were my idols, when I watched that, that's what I wanted to be a part of, I wanted to be like those guys," he enthused.
"I always wanted to play the highest standard I could for as long as I could.
"I think I just became a product of Lavington's environment."
Interestingly, Garland was a North Albury junior, but when the Hoppers couldn't field an under 15 side, he joined some schoolmates at Lavington.
He's played under the four coaches at the Panthers and wanted to make sure they received their recognition.
"'Timber' (Tim Sanson) was a really good motivator and probably took some teams to great places that weren't at that level," he remarked.
![Luke Garland and daughter Bronte, 18 months, ahead of his 250th game for the Panthers. Picture by Mark Jesser Luke Garland and daughter Bronte, 18 months, ahead of his 250th game for the Panthers. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/xtb7LvhUpWdRyX3MGXCxS3/7e56ef5c-4828-43b2-b461-068e3e56ca5a.jpg/r0_0_5368_3579_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I vividly remember that game against Albury in 2011 (when Sanson criticised the Tigers in the media earlier in the week) and he played on that for the whole week to build confidence in us, they were going to be angry and they're going to try and square up, that was one little tactic to motivate us."
Albury blasted away to a 40-point plus lead in the second quarter, before the Panthers stormed home to beat the premiers by 20 points.
"'Sakes' (James Saker) was super organised and thorough, he was great, I've got a great relationship with 'Sakes' to this day," he said.
"We had a defensive mindset under 'Sakes', but under Simon (Curtis) it was all-out attack, he led from the front in his training and skills in how we wanted to play.
"And 'Schneids' (current coach Adam Schneider) is really good at bringing a whole club together to move in the direction he wants us to go."
Garland is a decorated Panther, a three-time best and fairest (2011, 2013, 2016), a long-time Ovens and Murray representative and 2018 captain, while he also captained the Panthers for around half his career, highlighted by the drought-breaking 2019 premiership.
It sounds like a series of highs, but there's been plenty of gut-wrenching moments as well.
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In 2011, Lavington lost the preliminary final by three points. In 2012, it was the first semi-final by four points. Then followed two successive one-point preliminary final losses before the 2015-16 grand final defeats to Albury. In 2018, the Panthers lost the elimination final by four points.
"It was amazing to see him captain our 2019 premiership after all the heartache," president Mark Sanson offered.
"The biggest thing about Luke is his loyalty and he's very passionate about making sure people are driving high standards and are committed to the cause and the club."
His original mentor agrees.
"He's been a super servant, loyal, a role model, he's everything you want to build your club around," Tim Sanson praised.
"I had a conversation when he came back from Werribee about loyalty and being at one club, you end up in a situation where you have mates for life, rather than just acquaintances.
"I think across generations, lots of people have got lots of respect for 'Garlo' and are mates for life."
Garland, who turns 34 next month and has battled a series of soft tissue injuries, post-COVID, remains uncertain of his plans for next year.
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