Phil Graham (Australian rules)
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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