Find Lots

• Auction House:
  Leski Auctions
• Sale Name:
  Australian & Colonial
• Sale Date:
  24 Nov 2019 ~ 12noon (AEDT)
• Lot #:
  23
• Lot Description:
  GRAHAM “POLLY” FARMER, MBE (1935?–?2019)– HIS FIRST PREMIERSHIP
  The East Perth number “25” guernsey worn by “Polly” Farmer during the 1956 W.A.F.L. Grand Final, won by East Perth over South Fremantle; annotated and signed by Farmer, framed and mounted together with a signed photograph of him taking a mark.
• Notes:
  Graham Vivian Farmer MBE, known as Polly Farmer, was an Australian rules football player and coach who revolutionised ruckwork and handballing. Born in Western Australia, Farmer joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships, 1956, 1958 and 1959. He played 176 games for the club between 1953 and 1961, winning the club’s Best & Fairest award 7 times. He was awarded the Simpson Medal for being the best on the ground in the 1959 Grand Final. He was awarded the WAFL’s highest individual honour, the Sandover Medal, in 1956 and 1960. He also tied for the medal in 1957 with East Fremantle’s Jack Clarke, but lost on a countback (later also awarded in 1997). In 1962, he was recruited to the Victorian Football League (VFL), by Bob Davis. In the opening moments of his debut for Geelong, Farmer severely injured his knee which kept him out for the year. However, in 1963 he played a brilliant season, helping the club to win the Premiership whilst he became runner-up in the Brownlow Medal to Bob Skilton. Farmer played 101 games for the Geelong Football Club between 1962 and 1968, won their Best & Fairest award in 1963 and 1964 and also captained the team for three seasons. Despite his success and the adulation of Victorian football lovers, Farmer missed Western Australia and in 1968 embraced the opportunity to return as captain/coach of the West Perth Football Club, leading the club to premierships against East Perth in 1969 and 1971 on both occasions against his old club, East Perth. After retiring as a player, he coached Geelong and East Perth, and Western Australia’s first state of origin team. Farmer was made an official Legend of Australian Rules Football as one of the inaugural inductees in 1997. He entered the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004. The Graham Farmer Freeway in his hometown of Perth is named in his honour. Farmer was also the patron of the educational, not-for-profit Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation, founded in 1995. When Farmer passed away in August 2019 “The West Australian” devoted the front cover and an additional 12-page commemorative special to his life and career. The front cover described him as the “GREATEST OF ALL. The boy raised in an orphanage who became a football trailblazer and Aboriginal icon never to be forgotten.....Graham Vivian “Polly” Farmer was WA football’s undisputed king and arguably the greatest Australian Rules footballer ever.”
• Estimate:
  A$25,000 - 50,000
• Realised Price:
  Withdrawn
• Category:
  Collectables

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.