Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Graham Molloy

Known as
Graham Molloy

Born
26 June 1947 (age 76)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 317d
Last game: 28y 2d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 85 kg

Senior clubs
Norwood; Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Melbourne: 21

Recruited from
Norwood (1970)

Family links
Glenn Molloy (Son)

Graham Molloy

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
NorwoodSANFL1965-196976730.96
MelbourneV/AFL1970-197567350.5237%11.483.604.6310
Total1965-19751431080.76

AFL: 8,262nd player to appear, 3,505th most games played, 2,668th most goals kickedMelbourne: 894th player to appear, 260th most games played, 207th most goals kicked

Like his fellow Tassie Medallist, Peter Eakins of Western Australia, South Australia's Graham Molloy probably reached his peak as a footballer in 1969, the season he won the Medal. Indeed, in Molloy's case, that peak was probably even more confined, comprising just the two or three months prior to, and the eight day period of, the '69 carnival itself. Afterwards, Molloy, who moved from Norwood to Melbourne in 1970, was only sporadically the same player as the one who had thrilled the record crowds at Adelaide Oval during the carnival.

Equally at home on the ball or across half forward, Molloy's pièce de résistance was his phenomenal leaping ability, which time after time enabled him to soar above even the densest of packs, as often as not coming back to earth cradling the leather in his arms. A left footer, his pinpoint kicking to position, sometimes over prodigious distances, was another noteworthy feature of his game. Less conspicuous but equally significant was the fact that "he provided an infusion of 'devil' with his vigour and willingness to 'go through' regardless of bruises".¹

Persistent niggling injuries limited Molloy's effectiveness as well as the number of his appearances after his move to Melbourne and he managed only 67 VFL games in six seasons before moving to VAFA club, Ringwood, as coach in 1976.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. South Australian Football Record Yearbook 1970, page 17.

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.