Likeable larrikin Graham Fruean reflects on his time at Albury and Culcairn

BRENT GODDE: You were born and raised in Howlong. Where did you play your junior football?

GRAHAM FRUEAN: I had a few mates at Albury so I played my juniors from under-13s upwards at the sportsground.

BG: You made your senior debut for Albury in 1999 as a 19-year-old under coach Michael Buchanan?

GF: Albury were a powerhouse at the time with some legends of the club like Tim Scott and Glenn Page running around.

BG: Did you make a good first impression?

GF: I spent the first-half on the bench and came on during the third-quarter and was then back on the bench for the last quarter.

BG: Did you at least get a touch?

GF: I remember my first kick I contested a mark and got tunnelled by my opponent and got winded but received a free kick. I was trying to suck some air in and all I could hear was Dale Carroll yelling 'get up, hands, hands, hands, get up.'

BG: How did you rate 'Micki' as a coach?

GF: 'Micki' led by example and was one of the toughest players I have seen pound for pound given his size. He also enjoyed a good time and was one of the boys socially after a match.

BG: The following year you broke your collarbone in the reserves but played your first senior match of the season in the preliminary final. Were you surprised to get a call-up?

GF: I was and I remember it was against North Albury at Birallee Park. I only played about a quarter and we got beat. Then Corowa-Rutherglen flogged North Albury in the grand final that year.

BG: The following year in 2001 Ben Doolan replaced 'Micki' as coach?

GF: It's fair to say we struggled that season and there were about five permanent senior players including Tim Scott and Andrew Harrison. Then it seemed like a revolving door between the rest of the group who would get a game each week.

BG: How did you rate Doolan as a coach?

GF: I loved him. I know there was an exodus when he was appointed with blokes like Marc Duryea and Stuart Hodgson heading out to Holbrook. Glenn Page also joined Dederang Mt-Beauty. So Doolan was forced to play the young guys which was good for my development.

BG: It's hard to argue with that after you finished runner-up in the best and fairest behind Tim Scott?

GF: I sort of graduated from a back pocket, to a back flank and also spent a bit of time in the midfield as I grew in confidence. So it was a breakout season for me and the first that I spent the whole year in the seniors.

BG: The Doolan's owned and managed the Termo Hotel at the time. One Saturday night you decided to 'borrow' Ben's old Kingswood ute and drove it home from the Termo carpark without telling him?

GF: Looking back it wasn't the best decision I made in my life. But Ben used to drive an old Kingswood ute that you didn't need the keys to start. Temptation got the better of me one night and the plan was to drive it home and then bring it back the following day and hoped nobody noticed.

BG: That's probably not as silly as it sounds. Did you get away with the cunning stunt?

GF: No, I had a bit of a bingle on the way home and did a bit of damage to the ute and sort of panicked and didn't know what to do really.

BG: So you didn't tell Ben the next day what had happened to his ute?

GF: I didn't want to face the music so to speak so I ended up having Sunday session with a few of the boys. Ben found out about his ute and came round to my place and got it while I wasn't home.

BG: I'm guessing you dreaded going to training that week?

GF: A few people found out what I had done to Ben's ute and it spread like wildfire. I contemplated not training that week but I decided that I had to take responsibility for my actions. Everyone was waiting for me to turn up to training on the Tuesday night to see what Ben's reaction was going to be.

BG: Did Ben give you a spray?

GF: Surprisingly he was pretty good about it and just said 'What have you done mate?' We had a quick chat about it and I had to do some work for him to pay off the cost of the repairs.

BG: The following year in 2002 Paul Spargo who was already a dual premiership coach at Tigerland returned for a second stint at the helm. How did you rate the Tiger legend as a coach?

GF: Spargo was a great motivator and you felt like you could run through a brick wall after hearing him speak. Yes, he was intense, but is an icon at Tigerland.

BG: I'm guessing you wouldn't have been game to 'borrow' Spargo's ute?

GF: Ha ha, I try to learn from my mistakes and I would never have tried to push my luck with Spargo.

BG: Spargo is renowned for dishing out some memorable sprays. Were you ever on the receiving end of one?

GF: One of the fiercest sprays I saw Spargo deliver was to the team and not to me personally. We were playing Yarrawonga who were one of the bottom sides that year. We came in at half-time and were around five goals in front.

BG: That's better than being five goals down?

GF: That's what I thought but Spargo went off his nut. We walked in the changerooms and Spargo slammed the door shut and basically wanted to fight anyone who thought they had performed in the first-half. The spray had the desired effect and we won the match fairly comfortably in the end. But it was a tense moment at the time.

BG: Did you ever personally cop a spray from Spargo?

GF: I copped one after the second semi-final loss against Wangaratta Rovers at Birallee Park that year that I will never forget.

BG: That was the same match Nick Carroll received a red card for misconduct during the third-quarter and sent from the ground for the remainder of the match. Carroll also received six weeks suspension at the tribunal?

GF: It was a bizarre incident but I was oblivious to it at the time. I wasn't fully aware what had occurred until after the match. I'm not sure what the Wangaratta Rovers player did to rattle Nick's cage but he certainly got a reaction if that's what he was looking for.

BG: North Albury made the most of the situation after they beat you in the preliminary final?

GF: We certainly had a side capable of going all-the-way that season and it was a bitter pill to swallow to get beat by the Hoppers who were one of our biggest rivals at the time.

BG: You enjoyed another outstanding season to finish runner-up in the best and fairest behind Mark Dicketts?

GF: It was a bit unusual because 'Dicko' played full-back and I was alongside him in a back pocket. So it was a bit weird that we finished top-two in the best and fairest considering we did finish on the top of the ladder that season.

BG: You also made you first appearance in the O&M inter-league side that season?

GF: It was an honour but we played locally that year so I missed out on playing on an AFL ground as well as a bus trip which I would have enjoyed.

BG: Leigh Elder who was O&M general manager gave the playing group a spray after a disappointing loss to the Goulburn Valley league?

GF: We were red-hot favourites to win the match but it bucketed down and from memory we got beat three goals to two in a real slogfest. Leigh was bitterly disappointed with the loss and had a bit to say after the match.

BG: Would it be fair to say you didn't train as hard as you should have during your time at the sportsground?

GF: I trained hard but I probably didn't train as often as I should have.

BG: Did you have a favourite excuse to get out of training?

GF: Let's just say I seemed to get stuck at work on Tuesday and Thursday nights quite regularly.

BG: Did you roll the dice and try to miss a few training sessions when Spargo was coach?

GF: That season I was a very good trainer and hardly missed a session.

BG: You despised training over the pre-season?

GF: I used to knock off work at 3pm and found once I got settled on the couch it was hard to find the motivation to get off it to go to training, especially when it was over 30 degrees.

BG: You were on Ainslie's recruiting radar the following season?

GF: Joel White was playing there and Ainslie touched base to see if I was interested in joining him.

BG: You knocked back the offer but you and White both signed with WAFL club Peel Thunder in 2005 to play under coach Garry Hocking?

GF: I had a few mates over there and looking back football wasn't my No. 1 priority at the time.

BG: How did you find Hocking as a coach?

GF: Hocking could be a bit out there at times. I played reserves one day but I remember watching when Peel Thunder got a goal scored against them. Hocking ordered everyone to start in the defensive 50 at the next centre bounce including the ruckmen and the midfielders.

BG: Interesting tactic, what was the theory behind it?

GF: I still don't know. Maybe it was something he learnt of Malcolm Blight because Blighty was prone to doing some strange things when he was coach of Geelong.

BG: Did you rate Hocking as a coach then?

GF: Hocking had a different coaching style in that he focussed on certain KPI's and if the side achieved them you would normally win the match.

BG: You returned to the border from Perth mid-season?

GF: I wasn't really enjoying it over there so I thought I would come back and play the second-half of the season with Albury.

BG: You injured your knee?

GF: I only played one match. Stuart Hodgson was coaching that season.

BG: The following season in 2006 you dropped a bombshell and decided to head bush and join Culcairn under coach Brent Barber?

GF: I'm good mates with David Pickett who was playing at Culcairn at the time. The plan was to have a year at Culcairn to freshen-up and then return to the sportsground.

BG: There was a clearance wrangle after you had signed a two-year-deal at Albury the previous season?

GF: Albury wasn't happy with my decision but was nice enough to let me go.

BG: You enjoyed a successful season with the Lions to finish runner-up in the best and fairest behind Clint Brown?

GF: I really enjoyed the change of scenery and I think we just finished outside the five that season.

BG: The following season in 2007 Matt Klemke was appointed coach. Klemke was able to persuade you to stay at Culcairn?

GF: Matt had a huge influence on me personally and it's fair to say without going into too much detail that he helped turn my life around. Let's just say he helped guide me down the right path.

BG: You were unemployed at the time?

GF: Yeah I was looking for a job and Matt was good enough to take me on as a farm hand and I also used to live out on his farm at Henty at the time.

BG: It's no secret that you love a beer. What were the rules regarding alcohol when you were staying on the farm?

GF: Matt was good about it and knew after a hard day's work that I was tonguing for a beer by the end of the day. Matt would have one or two beers with me some days, especially if it was hot.

BG: Did you ever used to drink on a Friday night before matches?

GF: I would still have a beer most Friday nights but usually only a couple.

BG: Did you ever get pinged for drinking on a Friday night throughout your career?

GF: I did once in 2007 when Klemke was coaching.

BG: How did he react when he found out?

GF: We got to training on the Tuesday night and Matt announced to the players that I had been drinking the previous Friday night. As punishment he made the players run four laps of indian file with their arms above their heads. But in an unusual twist he wouldn't let me join in and I had to watch all my teammates do the punishment for my misdemeanor.

BG: How did that make you feel?

GF: I certainly regretted my actions and to Matt's credit it had the desired effect and I didn't have a beer on a Friday night for the rest of that season.

BG: Culcairn won its most recent flag in 2007. Who were some of your premiership teammates that you rated the highest?

GF: Brent Barber always amazed me with his ability to read the play while Shannon Gilson was ultra-fit and would run his opponents ragged. Luke Donnan provided a strong-marking target and dominated that season. Luke Schuberg won the best and fairest that year after Matt Klemke recruited him from Murray Magpies. Jayden Kotzur and Damien Ritchie added some serious class.

BG: You were favourites heading into the grand final that season?

GF: I think we beat Osborne in the second semi-final by more than 10 goals and had to play them again in the grand final.

BG: Osborne coach Graham Hart changed several match-ups in the decider and certainly made you earn the win?

GF: To Osborne's credit it sprung a few surprises and it was tight at the last change. Nathaniel Stroh bobbed up with two goals in the final quarter which was probably the difference. It was bloody good feeling to beat Osborne.

BG: You did the 'worm' much to the delight of the Culcairn supporters when you were presented with your premiership medallion?

GF: Yeah, it was a bit of a party trick that I used to pull out on special occasions.

BG: You broke a bone in your hand during the grand final?

GF: Yeah I probably didn't do myself any favours and spent a couple of days celebrating the win before I went to the doctors to get it looked at. It was fairly painful at the time.

BG: From 2007-2011 Culcairn boasted a star-studded side and finished minor premier on three occasions. Do you feel the Lions short-changed themselves in only winning the one flag?

GF: For sure. There is little doubt we let some golden opportunities slip. Twice we finished minor premiers and went out in straight sets which is always a bitter pill to swallow.

BG: In 2008 it was one of the years you lost in straight sets?

GF: Yeah we were a bit stiff. Joel Mackie came back to play for Jindera mid-season and produced one of the most dominant finals series in the history of the Hume league. We got beat in the preliminary final and Mackie would have had 35 plus touches.

BG: In 2008 you won the Azzi medal?

GF: We got beat in the preliminary final by Jindera and the Azzi medal was the following day. A few of us pulled an all nighter and were having a Sunday session at the back of the pub and couldn't really be bothered going to the count.

BG: So you didn't attend?

GF: Reluctantly. 'Froggy' Finlayson came and got me a few hours before the count and I went back to his place to have a shower and had to borrow some of his clothes. It's fair to say 'Froggy' and I didn't share the same fashion sense.

BG: One of your teammates fell asleep at the table at the Azzi medal before the meals were served?

GF: I won't name who it was but it did happen.

BG: Were you shocked to win the medal?

GF: I had been invited to attend so I guess when that happens you are some sort of chance. I remember my speech was short and sweet because I had a few on board and hadn't been to bed the previous night.

BG: What did you do to celebrate the medal win?

GF: 'Froggy' dropped about four or five of us back at the clubrooms to have a few drinks. Andrew Robertson was with us but fell asleep in the changerooms within 15 minutes.

BG: In 2009 you finished runner-up in the best and fairest for a fourth time behind Luke Donnan?

GF: I finished runner-up five times before I finally won one.

BG: You finally win an elusive best and fairest in 2012?

GF: I rate that the best season I played in my career.

BG: You were set to retire at the end of 2012?

GF: I was and the club has a bit of an exodus at the time with a lot of senior players going elsewhere or retiring. I didn't want to play anywhere else and was going to retire. But Brett Schulz got in my ear and coaxed me into playing for a few more years.

BG: Looking back at your career, do you have any regrets?

GF: Not really. I think I played at a fairly high level and am proud of my achievements.

BG: Do you ever think of how many flags you could have won if you spent your entire career at Albury.

GF: I wasn't real smart in that regard and managed to play at the sportsground either side of both their dynasties.