MOUNT Gambier football veteran Ken Gladman says it was a privilege to play alongside Australian football great Graham “Polly” Farmer.
Mr Gladman – who played 52 senior games for Geelong – paid tribute to his former legendary captain, who died this month, aged 84.
Poring over old photographs and news clippings, Mr Gladman – who is also a legend within the North Gambier football clubrooms – says the passing of Polly was a significant loss.
The talented footballer said Polly – who was an indigenous trailblazer in the game – was a remarkable person and a great mentor for young players coming into the team.
Hailing from the small town of Mortlake in South West Victoria, Mr Gladman was selected to play for Geelong in 1966 and took to the field in the legendary 1967 grand final clash against Richmond at the MCG.
The grand final showdown attracted more than 103,000 people, which holds a treasure-trove of memories for Mr Gladman.
“The atmosphere at the 1967 grand final was enormous,” he said.
It was one of the biggest crowds at a grand final in the history of the game.
“I was selected to play for Geelong in 1966 and Polly was the captain. I was only 20 at the time,” the former VFL player said.
Mr Gladman said he believed Polly was the best captain and ruckman of all time.
“He would have to be the best – the way he conducted himself and his ability made him a great leader,” he explained.
“He led by example, he was an unbelievable person. If he could help you, he would and he was so skilful. He was the most amazing man.
“His skills with the handball were unreal – they at times travelled 30 metres,” Mr Gladman said.
Mr Gladman said Polly taught him to “try to be in the right place at the right time” and play well against some of the “top blokes in the competition.”
“It was very tough in those days and you had to stand up for yourself otherwise you would get pushed aside,” he said.
While Polly was a naturally gifted player, he said the legendary figure trained hard and “perfected” his game as a ruckman.
“I have such amazing memories. I also played on Anzac Day at the MCG in front of 90,000 people,” Mr Gladman said.
The passionate football veteran said Polly changed the game forever and led the way for indigenous players to make their mark in the sport.
Playing five years at Geelong, Mr Gladman stepped away from that level of football and moved to Mount Gambier to coach North Gambier.
“During those days, I worked full time and I used to drive 130km from Mortlake to Geelong to train in the first year,” he recalled.
“I was a bit disillusioned at the time and I walked away from it. I had a good stint and a few broken noses.”
Mr Gladman then went on to coach three years at North and played until 1979.
“We won the premiership in 1979 and then I retired.”
Remarkably, the versatile player racked up 185 games with North and was known as a “dashing and eloquent footballer with great pace.”
According to commentators at the time, he was always in the “thick of the action.”
AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan said Mr Farmer’s legacy stretched beyond his significant deeds on the football field.
“Beyond football, as a proud Noongar man, he was a leader for the Aboriginal community and his standing in the game and in society enabled his people to believe they too could reach the peaks and achieve their best potential,” Mr McLachlan said.
“He laid the path for so many great footballers from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to come into the elite levels of the game and showcase their skills.
“At every point of his career, his teams found success on the field, thanks largely to his dominance that built a record few players could ever hope to match.”
A state funeral is being planned for Mr Farmer in Western Australia.
