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).
Phillip Graham, an Aboriginal Australian man,[1] was born on 4 January 1961. 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".[2] 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.[3]
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.[2]
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.[4] 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.[2]
Graham was a member of the 1983 Indigenous All-Stars, along with brother Colin and uncle Michael.[5] [6]
In 1987 he was made a Life Member of the Bulldogs.[7]