View source for Graham Arthur

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer (1936–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name                 = Graham Arthur
| image                = 
| alt                  = 
| caption              = 
| fullname             = Graham Francis Arthur
| nickname             = 
| birth_date           = {{Birth date|df=yes|1936|6|9}}
| birth_place          = 
| death_date           = {{death date and age|2021|1|10|1936|6|9|df=yes}}
| death_place          = 
| originalteam         = [[Sandhurst Football Club|Sandhurst]] ([[Bendigo Football League|BFL]])
| draftpick            = 
| height               = 180 cm
| weight               = 86 kg
| position             = 
| years1               = 1955–1968
| club1                = {{AFL Haw}}
| games_goals1         = 232 (201)
| sooyears1            = 
| sooteam1             = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals1      = 12 (7)
| coachyears1          = 1964–1965
| coachclub1           = {{AFL Haw}}
| coachgames_wins1     = 36 (17–19–0)
| statsend             = 1968
| coachstatsend        = 1965
| careerhighlights     =
* [[List of VFL/AFL premiership captains and coaches|VFL premiership captain]]: [[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961]]
* 3× [[Peter Crimmins Medal|Hawthorn best and fairest]]: 1955, 1958, 1962
* [[List of Hawthorn Football Club captains|Hawthorn captain]]: 1960–1968
* [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] Hall of Fame – Legend status
* [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] Team of the Century – Captain
}}
'''Graham Francis Arthur''' (9 June 1936 – 10 January 2021) was an [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[Hawthorn Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League]] (VFL).

==Career==
Arthur played primarily as a [[Football (Australian rules) positions#Centre half-forward|half forward]], debuting while still only 18 years old.

He was the captain of the first [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] side to win the [[AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] and made a dozen appearances for the Victorian state team.  

Following his career at Hawthorn, Arthur was appointed playing coach of [[Bendigo Football League]] club [[Echuca Football Club|Echuca]].<ref>"Farewell to Departed Stars", The Football Record, 5 April 1969, p. 8.</ref>

Arthur was named captain of Hawthorn's official Team of the Century.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-10|title=AFL 2021: Graham Arthur dead at 84, Hawthorn legend, first premiership captain, Australian Football Hall of Fame member|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2021-graham-arthur-dead-at-84-hawthorn-legend-first-premiership-captain-australian-football-hall-of-fame-member/news-story/9ffc46e5206b58ccb22c3ca026c85b16|access-date=2021-01-10|website=Fox Sports|language=en-AU}}</ref>

Arthur supported the [[Melbourne Hawks|planned merger]] between {{AFL Haw}} and {{AFL Mel}} in [[1996 AFL season|1996]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheahan |first1=Mike |title=MERGE - It's time to look ahead not back |url=http://www.hawkheadquarters.com/article.aspx?articleid=206 |website=hawkheadquarters.com |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=19 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030316115040/http://www.hawkheadquarters.com/article.aspx?articleid=206 |archive-date=16 March 2003 |date=16 September 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Linnell |first1=Stephen |last2=Rielly |first2=Stephen |title=Proposed Demons, Hawks merger sparks outrage |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/from-the-archives-1996-rival-factions-clash-over-demons-hawks-merger-20190913-p52r1o.html |publisher=The Age |access-date=13 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123234745/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/from-the-archives-1996-rival-factions-clash-over-demons-hawks-merger-20190913-p52r1o.html |archive-date=23 January 2025 |date=17 September 1996}}</ref>

Arthur was inducted into the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]] in the initial intake in 1996, his citation reading:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hall of Fame Players|url=https://www.afl.com.au/hall-of-fame/players|access-date=2021-01-10|website=afl.com.au|language=en}}</ref>
:''Hawthorn's first premiership captain was a brilliant half-forward flanker/centreman.''

Arthur's father [[Alan Arthur (footballer)|Alan Arthur]] played for [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hillier|first=Kevin|title=Like Father Like Son|publisher=Pennon Publishing|year=2004|isbn=1-877029-73-4|location=Melbourne|pages=158}}</ref>

On 24 October 2000, Arthur was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australian football.<ref>{{cite web|title=Graham Francis Arthur|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/978427|publisher=[[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]]|access-date=5 January 2012}}</ref>

==Statistics==
===Coaching statistics===
{{AFL coaching statistics legend}}
{{AFL coaching statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
| [[1964 VFL season|1964]] || {{AFL Haw}}
| 18 || 13 || 5 || 0 || 72.2% || 5 || 12
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
| [[1965 VFL season|1965]] || {{AFL Haw}}
| 18 || 4 || 14 || 0 || 22.2% || 12 || 12
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=2| Career totals
! 36 !! 17 !! 19 !! 0 !! 47.2%
! colspan=2|
|}

==Honours and achievements==
'''Team'''
* [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|VFL premiership player]] ({{AFL Haw}}): [[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961]]
* 2× [[List of VFL/AFL minor premiers|Minor premiership]] ({{AFL Haw}}): [[1961 VFL season|1961]], [[1963 VFL season|1963]]

'''Individual'''
* [[List of VFL/AFL premiership captains and coaches|VFL premiership captain]]: [[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961]]
* 3× [[Peter Crimmins Medal|Hawthorn best and fairest]]: 1955, 1958, 1962
* [[List of Hawthorn Football Club captains|Hawthorn captain]]: 1960–1968 (most games played as captain – 153)
* [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] Hall of Fame – Legend status
* [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] Team of the Century – Captain
* [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] life member

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{AFL Tables player}}
* {{AFL Tables coach}}
* {{AustralianFootball}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042351/http://prod.www.afl.cfour.com.au/Season2007/Awards/HallofFame/Players/tabid/856/Default.aspx |date=28 September 2007 |title=AFL: Australian Football Hall of Fame}}

{{1961 Hawthorn premiership players}}
{{Hawthorn Football Club captains}}
{{Hawthorn Football Club coaches}}
{{Peter Crimmins Medal}}
{{Hawthorn Football Club Hall of Fame Legends}}
{{Hawthorn Team of The Century}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Graham}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Hawthorn Football Club players]]
[[Category:Hawthorn Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:Hawthorn Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Peter Crimmins Medal winners]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Sandhurst Football Club players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]


{{AFL-bio-1930s-stub}}