Polly Farmer

Polly Farmer
MBE
Farmer in 1954
Personal information
Full name Graham Vivian Farmer
Nickname(s) Polly
Date of birth (1935-03-10)10 March 1935
Place of birth North Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Date of death 14 August 2019(2019-08-14) (aged 84)
Place of death Murdoch, Western Australia
Original team(s) Maddington (SSFA)
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 94 kg (207 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1953–1961 East Perth 176 (157)
1962–1967 Geelong 101 (65)
1968–1971 West Perth 079 (55)
Total 356 (277)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1955–1971 Western Australia 31 (17)
1963–1965 Victoria 5 (?)
International team honours
1968 Australia
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1968–1971 West Perth 91 (60–29–2)
1973–1975 Geelong 66 (24–42–0)
1976–1977 East Perth 45 (30–15–0)
1970–1971, 1977 Western Australia 6 (2–4–0)
Total 208 (116-90-2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1971.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1977.
Career highlights

Club

Representative

Overall

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer MBE (10 March 1935 – 14 August 2019) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the East Perth Football Club and West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL).

Born in Western Australia and of indigenous heritage through his Noongar mother, Farmer is considered one of the greatest footballers in the game's history; when the Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, Farmer was among the 12 inaugural players given "legend" status.[1] He is primarily recognised for the way he revolutionised ruckwork and handballing.

After retiring as a player, Farmer returned to Geelong to become the VFL's first coach of indigenous background,[2] and he was also named coach of Western Australia's first State of Origin team.

The Graham Farmer Freeway in his hometown of Perth is named in his honour.

  1. ^ "Hall of Fame Legends".
  2. ^ Cherny, Daniel (14 August 2019). "Graham 'Polly' Farmer: Five reasons why he's a legend". theage.com.au.