Malady, a forward for the Gippsland Power in the Talent League, initially abandoned plans to move 280 kilometres to Melbourne for school, but a standout performance at the AFL under-16 championships on the Gold Coast two years ago, where he earned All-Australian honours, reignited his ambition. He told his parents he wanted to apply, only to find the scholarship windows closed.
“All the applications were closed for scholarships, so I sat down and wrote these rogue emails, with spelling mistakes everywhere. It was horrible,” Malady said. He sent the emails to several APS boarding schools. Three institutions responded not with rejection but appreciation for the heartfelt, unpolished tone.
“They rang Dad and were like, ‘We can tell this kid’s written it. There’s no AI – it’s truly from the heart’, which was pretty cool,” Malady recalled. Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College also made contact, but eventually Caulfield Grammar offered the scholarship.
Malady's athletic credentials are compelling. He ran the 20-metre sprint at the AFL draft combine in 2.9 seconds and boasts a big leap and strong marking. He played only seven games for Gippsland this season, kicking 18 goals, including five in the Power's grand final win over the Dandenong Stingrays. Recruiters liken him to Carlton forward Will Hayward or Geelong's Ollie Dempsey.
“Making the AFL is my dream, so it was all worth it,” he said.