Vale Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer

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Awful news, his battles with Big Nick were legendary. A great footballer, man and leader of his people. RIP.

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Legend of the club and the game

Awful news and unfortunately it seems we have seen the passing of previous club greats on a weekly basis over recent times
 
There's not many players you can accurately say revolutionised the game, but Polly was certainly one of them.

Condolences to his friends and family.
 

Farmer2Goggin

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2009
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Condolences to the Farmer family and to the Club
Next to my Grandfather Polly is the reason I’ve been a lifetime Cat.
Whilst I was only a young tacker watching him play and couldn’t appreciate his sublime skill I still recall the crowd vibe when he got the ball - reminiscent of another legendary #5 who was to follow many years later.
RIP
 
The AFL has put out a really nice statement - link to the full article below, but the following was key highlights of Farmers career:

- Farmer was a proud member of the Noongar clan from south-west Western Australia and his total senior game tally of 393 matches, when combining games for his WAFL and VFL clubs and matches at state level, is only exceeded among indigenous players by fellow Hall of Fame Legend Barry Cable (403 games in total for Perth/North Melbourne/East Perth/WA/Victoria).

Farmer’s record
Australian Football Hall of Fame, Inaugural Legend of the Game (one of 12).
Played 176 games for East Perth 1953-61, kicking 157 goals.
Played 101 games for Geelong 1962-67, kicking 65 goals.
Played 79 games for West Perth 1968-71, kicking 55 goals.
Played 31 games for Western Australia, kicking 19 goals.
Played six games for Victoria, kicking six goals.
East Perth Best and Fairest 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961.
Geelong Best and Fairest 1963, 1964.
West Perth Best and Fairest 1969.
Sandover Medal 1956, 1957, 1960.
Simpson Medal 1959.
East Perth premiership 1956, 1958, 1959.
Geelong premiership 1963.
West Perth premiership 1969, 1971 (both as playing coach).
All Australian 1956, 1958, 1961.
AFL Team of the Century (First Ruck).
Indigenous Team of the Century (First Ruck, captain).
Geelong Team of the Century (First Ruck).
West Perth Team of the Century (First Ruck).
East Perth Post War Team of the Century (First Ruck).
West Perth coach 1968-71 for premierships in 1969 and 1971.
Geelong coach 1973-75.
East Perth coach 1976-77

 
Sep 26, 2017
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There's not many players you can accurately say revolutionised the game, but Polly was certainly one of them.

Condolences to his friends and family.
This

I wish I saw him play those small clips of him playing just doesn’t do it for me.

Condolences to his family and friends sad news
 

Catsace

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Apr 15, 2007
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RIP to a football legend in every sense. Played his last season at Geelong the year before i was born, and i am too young to recall him as our coach from '73 to '75 but seeing the replays and reading the books and tributes from so many champions of the time, without question he was one of the greatest ever. Sam Newman unequivocally declared him the best ever, and he's seen plenty in his time too.

Poignant that the Herald Sun's article shows the pic of my avatar. Ironic for me, two icons at least in my eyes, i do wish i was a bit older to appreciate then in their pomp. But indeed a sad day for the farmer family, although he had been battling Alzheimer's for a long time, since age 60. A good innings at age 84.
 
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