Past Player Of The Week - Mark Graham

[Jane Doe]

DOB: 13/3/73

Height: 190 cms
Weight: 84 kgs

Games: 223
Goals: 61

Recruited From: Berwick

Debut: Round 6 1993 V Adelaide

Originally from Berwick, Graham was one of the last players recruited from the old zoning system. He was a hard working defender who served a solid Hawthorn "apprenticeship" before getting a regular spot in the senioes.

Graham was most comfortable on a back flank, but served the club valiantly after Chris Langford’s retirement as full back against much bigger opponents during the mid-nineties. Released from that role after the development of Jonathon Hay, he played a sweeping role in defence with his booming left foot and polarised Hawthorn fans who tend to either love him or hate him.

Critics point to occasional costly mistakes in defence and his lack of class, while fans cite experience, heart and attacking ability as valuable assets to the side. Went a long way to silencing those doubters in 2001 when he was runner-up in the Best and Fairest in a year where Hawthorn made the Preliminary Final.

Graham continued to provide valuable service right up until his delisting in 2004. Whilst some people never grew to like him, few could argue that he gave nothing but dedicated service to Hawthorn.

Where is he now? Working in the orthopedics industry in Melbourne.

 

[jiphoc]

I read the opening title and the anger levels began to rise. The bloke loved Hawks and played with his heart on his sleeve. However his brain fades and mistakes were numerous.

 

[tige19]

He makes Schoey seem a surgeon on the field! Was a real goer and anyone who clocks up 200+ for the brown and gold is a ledge but man he drove me nuts.

 

[WWSD]

This game by Mark Graham against Port Adelaide in the 2001 Semi-Final was probably the best game he's ever played as a Hawk. Won the game for us in the end.

 

[Lethality]

I liked him, and I remember him as the first of the new wave of defenders who were expected to be able to play on both smalls and talls. Famous for throwing up before every game.

 

[Ram-Man]

I have his first game on vhs tape , great match where we beat Adelaide in 1993 . Was often asked to play on the opposition key forward when he was clearly a half bank flank. Still see him at Hawk games occasionally watching in the stands.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Aaaah Heebie. I thought I'd erased you from my memory.

Never liked him, drove me mad with his decision making and brain fades. Along with Luke McCabe made watching us in the 90s hard.

That said, adding most have said he played his heart out for us, regularly doing jobs for us on bigger forwards. Loyal clubman so I guess now in my maturing stages of life, I can forget the angst and appreciate other things

 

[stemline]

Was a very good player and a terrific clubman. Didn't make nearly as many mistakes a people made out - any backman in some of our teams back then was going to be up against it.

Heebie was the last non-drafted/traded player to play for us.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Constantly had to play on opponents much taller and heavier than himself, and gave his all every time!
Was a half back flanker who was asked to play Key Position!
His brain farts were numerous, but so were a lot of his teammates, hence not exactly a golden era for us as a club

His performance in that final v Port Adelaide at Football Park was his most memorable for mine, how he wrenched the ball free and kicked to Lekkas free in the centre, who passed to Barker for the winning goal always sticks in my mind!

 

[ViperV10]

Definitely remember him as an honest trier, often against much larger and more naturally skilled opponents. Naturally, this meant he was one of the many eternal whipping boys of the era.

Was a fair athlete too. From memory he competed against, if not beat, Koutoufides at under-age athletics.

 

[Great 2008]

Loved him. Gave his all and even though we were not successful always seemed to enjoy his footy.

 

[Pritchard]

Always liked Heebee. Had some real passion about him.

 

[HigginsHawk]

I still remember when his Mrs jumped online and ripped into posters who had been having a go at him. One of the best threads I have ever read. I have a feeling it was on Hawks Headquarters.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

He was unfortunate that he came into Hawthorn several years too late. There were quite a few players of similar skillset that ended up premiership players during Hawthorn's 80s hey-day, but because they were surrounded by some absolute champions of the game, they did their job and reaped the rewards. Heebie, on the other hand, was asked to do too much once Langers retired and paid a significant price for it in terms of his legacy as a Hawthorn player.

Off the top of my head, I have a suspicion that Graham played the most games for Hawthorn without gathering a premiership medal. I think that sums up his career quite fittingly.

 

[Pessimistic]

My memory is him getting polaxes by plugger by repeatedly standing in his leading space.

Poor bugger just got back up and did it again, no 'pretending', just getting smashed.

Was particualarly duable considering the punishment he took. His partner logged in and defended him on the hawkheadquarters website one time. She made her point and most posters respectfully exchanged posts with her

 

[randall boner]

I read the opening title and the anger levels began to rise. The bloke loved Hawks and played with his heart on his sleeve. However his brain fades and mistakes were numerous.

agree 100%

 

[Tasmaniac]

Lots of respect for Heebie. The fact that he had to constantly play on larger, key position forwards reflects poorly on the Hawk team at that time, not Heebie (he wasn't a great kick either).

An honest, hardworking, give it his all type of player.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

2 favourite memories:

1) mentioned already that final vs Port.

2) started off the club song at a Peter Crimmins Medal with the biggest "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee a HAPPY TEAM at HAWTHORN" sent the Palladium room into pandemonium.

 

[Ram-Man]

I still remember when his Mrs jumped online and ripped into posters who had been having a go at him. One of the best threads I have ever read. I have a feeling it was on Hawks Headquarters.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/03/1083436540621.html

 

[Hawkas1988]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/03/1083436540621.html

Good on her, great stuff

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Just looked up the AFL records. Mark Graham is the player at the Hawks with the most games played for the club without a premiership medal. At 223 games, he's equal with Al Martello.

 

[langers1971]

in his first game in 1993 v Adelaide Crows round 6 at football Park, he came off the bench in the last qtr at the 25 minute mark, and was promptly dropped for the following game.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Would be held in far higher regard if he got to play on a third tall than the power forwards.

Massively underated on these boards.

 

[FisherHawk]

Would be held in far higher regard if he got to play on a third tall than the power forwards.

Massively underated on these boards.

He constantly had to punch well above his weight but he still wasn't a bad spoiler. He did, unfortunately become the whipping boy on forums, to the point where it became cringworthy. There seems to be a tradition of hammering our defenders on these boards....Graham, Hay, Dawson, Shoenmakers.

 

[kolchak]

I remember him playing one good game.