Speakers

Sir Graham has forged a reputation that transcends his position as a football coach and rugby league icon. From a sport which places a premium on macho image and physical rather than emotional prowess, Graham has moved beyond traditional masculine boundaries to appeal to a broad cross-section of New Zealand society, well outside the game of rugby league.

Sir Graham began his coaching career in New Zealand in the late 1970s before rising to prominence at the helm of Brisbane Norths. He was the Kiwis' national coach from 1983-86 and spent three years at Manly (1990-92) and a season at North Queensland (1996).

In 2015, Sir Graham founded the Lowie Foundation which uses Lowie’s 12 Dynamic Principles to deliver a literacy and numeracy programme to 12 -19 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 2018 Graham started working with the Department of Corrections New Zealand and developed the Kick for the Seagulls programme which uses sporting language to teach people in prison reading, writing and maths.

In recognition of his contribution to New Zealand, in 2019 he was knighted for his services to youth and education. Due to the immense success of Graham’s works with Corrections’ he was awarded Department of Corrections 2018 Partner of the Year and in 2019 became the first Corrections wing patron for a graduating cohort. In 1986 Graham was awarded and presented by HM Queen Elizabeth II the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community of New Zealand. He was also the subject of a This is Your Life documentary in 1993.