Graham Polak
Encyclopedia
Graham Polak is a former Australian rules football
er who played for the Fremantle Football Club
and the Richmond Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
after being drafted from East Fremantle
in the WAFL
with the fourth selection in the 2001 AFL Draft
(behind future stars of the game Luke Hodge
, Luke Ball
and Chris Judd
.) He made his debut in round 1, 2002 in a Western Derby
against the West Coast Eagles
which Fremantle lost. In 2003 he had his best season to date, only missing one game (round 3) and playing in Fremantle's first ever finals match. He was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award in Round 9 and finished second in the end of year voting behind Sam Mitchell
and ahead of Luke Ball
and Daniel Wells.
Polak only played 12 games in 2005 and failed to improve due to a pre-season injury. He was recalled in round 3 of 2006, and due to injuries to Aaron Sandilands
and Justin Longmuir
, was often played in the new role of a ruckman
, but still only managed 11 games for the season, and was overlooked for the finals.
following speculation all week that he would be the key to the mega deal involving Collingwood's Chris Tarrant
being traded to the Dockers. Since being at the Tigers, Polak has mainly played at centre-half back and finished seventh in Richmond's 2007 best and fairest
award after playing in all 22 games for the season.
, and was placed in an induced coma
with bruising to the brain, putting his football career in jeopardy.
Two days after being struck by the tram Polak was able to respond to commands and squeeze a family member's hand. The hospital has stated that the signs are 'encouraging'. Nearly a week after being hit by a tram Polak was moved to Epworth Rehabilitation
Centre. He was then able to remember parts of the game he played against Carlton
the day of his accident and was able to recognise loved ones and speak.
In late 2008, Richmond applied to the AFL to transfer Polak to the rookie list, primarily to free up a position on their senior list that would enable them to recruit Ben Cousins
as well as re-draft David Gourdis
. The AFL rejected this request, but Richmond still managed to select both players, Cousins in the Pre-season draft and Gourdis in the rookie draft. Polak returned to training during the 2009 pre-season and was selected to play in a NAB Challenge practice match against St Kilda.
Polak was named to make his return to the AFL in the Round 21 match against Hawthorn
, nearly 13 months after being struck by the tram.
On 26 June 2010 and 31 July 2010 Polak suffered concussion while playing for Coburg in the VFL
, again putting his football career in jeopardy.
, but transferred from East Fremantle
to East Perth
. After suffering from further on-field head injuries, he retired from all football in June 2011.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
and the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL).
Fremantle career
Polak began his AFL career with the Fremantle Football ClubFremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
after being drafted from East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
in the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
with the fourth selection in the 2001 AFL Draft
2001 AFL Draft
The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83...
(behind future stars of the game Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
, Luke Ball
Luke Ball
Luke Patrick Ball is a professional Australian rules football player currently playing for in the Australian Football League....
and Chris Judd
Chris Judd
Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
.) He made his debut in round 1, 2002 in a Western Derby
Western Derby
The Western Derby is the name given to the Australian rules football rivalry match between the Fremantle Football Club and West Coast Eagles, who both participate in the Australian Football League . As both teams are based in Western Australia, the term 'derby' is used to describe the...
against the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
which Fremantle lost. In 2003 he had his best season to date, only missing one game (round 3) and playing in Fremantle's first ever finals match. He was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award in Round 9 and finished second in the end of year voting behind Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (footballer)
Samuel Mitchell is an Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Debut season :...
and ahead of Luke Ball
Luke Ball
Luke Patrick Ball is a professional Australian rules football player currently playing for in the Australian Football League....
and Daniel Wells.
Polak only played 12 games in 2005 and failed to improve due to a pre-season injury. He was recalled in round 3 of 2006, and due to injuries to Aaron Sandilands
Aaron Sandilands
Aaron Sandilands is an Australian rules footballer. At 211 cm tall and weighing 122 kg , he is the heaviest and equal tallest player in the history of the game...
and Justin Longmuir
Justin Longmuir
Justin Longmuir is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He was a key position forward or ruckman who played for the Fremantle Football Club...
, was often played in the new role of a ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
, but still only managed 11 games for the season, and was overlooked for the finals.
Richmond career
On 13 October 2006, Polak was traded to the Richmond Football ClubRichmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
following speculation all week that he would be the key to the mega deal involving Collingwood's Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant (footballer)
Chris Tarrant is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club, and has also played for the Fremantle Football Club. He announced at the end of the 2010 AFL season that he would return to Melbourne for personal reasons and would not extend his contract with Fremantle...
being traded to the Dockers. Since being at the Tigers, Polak has mainly played at centre-half back and finished seventh in Richmond's 2007 best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award after playing in all 22 games for the season.
Tram collision
Late on 28 June 2008, Polak was struck by a Melbourne tramTrams in Melbourne
The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the...
, and was placed in an induced coma
Induced coma
A barbiturate-induced coma, or barb coma, is a temporary coma brought on by a controlled dose of a barbiturate drug, usually pentobarbital or thiopental...
with bruising to the brain, putting his football career in jeopardy.
Two days after being struck by the tram Polak was able to respond to commands and squeeze a family member's hand. The hospital has stated that the signs are 'encouraging'. Nearly a week after being hit by a tram Polak was moved to Epworth Rehabilitation
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
Centre. He was then able to remember parts of the game he played against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
the day of his accident and was able to recognise loved ones and speak.
In late 2008, Richmond applied to the AFL to transfer Polak to the rookie list, primarily to free up a position on their senior list that would enable them to recruit Ben Cousins
Ben Cousins
Benjamin Luke "Ben" Cousins is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his 270-game career with and in the Australian Football League ....
as well as re-draft David Gourdis
David Gourdis
David Gourdis is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. He was overlooked at the 2007 AFL Draft, despite ranking no.1 in the 20m sprint , and ranked no.1 in the running vertical jump , at the AFL Draft Camp in Canberra.The same year in December 2007, the Richmond...
. The AFL rejected this request, but Richmond still managed to select both players, Cousins in the Pre-season draft and Gourdis in the rookie draft. Polak returned to training during the 2009 pre-season and was selected to play in a NAB Challenge practice match against St Kilda.
Polak was named to make his return to the AFL in the Round 21 match against Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, nearly 13 months after being struck by the tram.
Comeback
At the end of the 2009 season Polak was de-listed by the Tigers. He was then re drafted by the Tigers in the 2009 rookie draft as a mature aged rookie.On 26 June 2010 and 31 July 2010 Polak suffered concussion while playing for Coburg in the VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
, again putting his football career in jeopardy.
Retirement
On 27 August 2010 Polak announced his retirement from AFL football. He returned to Perth to play in the West Australian Football LeagueWest Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
, but transferred from East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
to East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
. After suffering from further on-field head injuries, he retired from all football in June 2011.