Graham Ion

Graham Ion (born 12 October 1940) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Graham Ion
Personal information
Full name Graham Ion
Date of birth (1940-10-12)12 October 1940
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1958–1965 Footscray 107 (85)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1965.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Ion made his league debut at just 17 years of age, against Melbourne at Western Oval in 1958.[1] It was his only game of the season, but he was a regular member of the team from 1959.[1]

A key forward despite his small stature, he kicked 27 goals in 1961 to finish third in Footscray's goal-kicking.[1] He played all 21 games that year, including the 1961 VFL Grand Final loss, where he played at centre half-forward.[2] When Ted Whitten was away playing interstate football, Ion captained Footscray in their round 13 fixture against North Melbourne - he was only 20 years old at the time.[3] His brother, Barry Ion, was also in the Footscray side that day.[1]

In 1962 he again played every game for Footscray, and also kicked three goals in an appearance for the VFL representative team which defeated Western Australia.[2]

He played 14 games in 1963, but just nine the following season as he was out of action for eight weeks due to an appendix operation.[4]

His final season, in 1965, was interrupted by a four-week suspension for striking Geelong's Ian Scott, but they were the only games he missed that year.[5]

After leaving Footscray he captain-coached Deniliquin Football Club to the 1966 Murray Football League premiership and won the 1967 Murray Football League O’Dwyer Medal. Ion later coached Riverina club, Turvey Park Football Club. [6]

References
  1. AFL Tables: Graham Ion
  2. "Full Points Footy: Graham Ion (Footscray)". Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  3. The Age,"Strong Workout", 12 July 1961 p. 10
  4. The Age,"Don Williams Has Chance of Playing", 31 July 1964 p. 1
  5. The Age,"Two League Men Suspended: Devine Cleared", 23 April 1965 p. 1
  6. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
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