Phillip Graham (born 4 January 1961) is a former Australian rules football player who played for Central District Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).
Early life and family edit
Phillip Graham, an Aboriginal Australian man,[1] was born on 4 January 1961.[2] He grew up in Point Pearce on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. His father was Bradley Graham, who also played Aussie rules, winning a Mail Medal in the Mid North. Bradley's father was Cecil Graham, and football "was always a big part of family life".[3] Cecil was a descendent of Kudnarto, a Kaurna woman famous for having made legal history by being the first Aboriginal Australian woman to marry a European settler in the colony of South Australia in 1848.[4]
Phil's brothers, Brenton and Colin Graham, also played Aussie rules, and his sister Debra is the mother of AFL premiership players Troy Bond and Shane Bond. Footballer Michael Graham was their uncle.[3]
Football career edit
In 1978 Graham was recruited from Elizabeth Football Club as a 17-year-old by the Central District Football Club (Bulldogs), and played 12 seasons in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Playing mostly as a wingman (half forward), he played 196 senior games and kicked 167 goals in total.[2] Bulldogs coach Daryl Hicks would place Graham in the at centre-half-forward position against Greg Phillips, then playing in the SANFL for Port Adelaide.[3]
Graham was a member of the 1983 Indigenous All-Stars, along with brother Colin and uncle Michael.[5][6]
Recognition edit
In 1987 he was made a Life Member of the Bulldogs.[7]
References edit
- ^ Giles, Clint (6 July 2023). "First Nations SANFL Footballers". SANFL. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ a b Devaney, John. "Phil Graham". Australian Football. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Argent, Peter (6 June 2014). "Celebrating an electrifying footy family". InDaily. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ Brock, Peggy (2020). "Kudnarto (c.1832–1855)". Indigenous Australia. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
This entry is from the Australian Dictionary of Biography
- ^ Argent, Peter (20 February 2015). "Football's first Aboriginal all-stars". InDaily. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Colin Graham". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ "Player and Club Life Members". Central District Football Club. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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