Elisabeth Champion

From Penola as a youngster to the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Michael Graham has been kicking career goals since the start.

The former Penola Eagles player returned to his old home ground last weekend, as he reminisced on his career which includes more than 500 senior games.

Picking up a footy for the first time as a young player in Penola, Graham went on to win the Western Border Medal in 1970.

It was the following year that he made his SANFL debut for Sturt Football Club, for which he played more than 280 games over 15 seasons.

He played in their premiership teams in 1974 and 1976.

In the off season, Graham travelled to the Northern territory, where he played for St Mary’s in the Northern Territory Football League.

He was awarded the Chaney Medal for best on ground in the 1978-79 grand final, the 1973-74 Nichols Medal for Season Best and Fairest and played a total of 230 matches across 17 seasons.

In 1983, Graham was a member of the Indigenous All-Stars team.

He has also been named in Team of the Century for the Sturt, Indigenous, Northern Territory and SANFL Indigenous teams.

He was officially inducted in the Australian Football Hall of Fame recently, a moment which he said was a “big thrill”

“I’m pretty excited still, it was a big thrill to be told. I’m on about cloud seven still,” Graham said.

With a long, successful career, it can be hard to narrow down the highlights, and Graham said he had many memorable moments.

“A couple of premierships with Sturt, playing state football – I played eleven state games with South Australia – and playing up in Darwin with a couple of premierships up there, and also one in Alice Springs, in the reserves, with seven of us over 50,” he said.

Graham shared his advice for young players coming up through the ranks.

“I always say look with their eyes and listen with their ears,” he said.

“That goes from Mum and Dad, the teachers to the coaches.

“If they don’t do that, and they don’t listen, they will not go anywhere.

“I’ve always stood by that, I’ve always adhered to those rules.”

A Q and A session was held before the A grade match on Saturday, and Graham tossed the coin before the seniors match.