Hundreds have gathered to mourn and farewell AFL legend Andrew Krakouer who died of a suspected heart attack in Perth last month at the age of 42.
Born in Melbourne, he racked up 102 games for Richmond from 2001 to 2007 before a jail term interrupted his AFL career and ended up changing his life for the better.
Krakouer was sentenced to at least 16 months in jail for a serious assault in 2006, with his younger brother also imprisoned over his role in the attack.
However, he fought his way back into the AFL after his release on parole in 2009, going on to rack up 35 games with Collingwood from 2011 to 2013.
Once his first-grade career was over, he moved into construction and became a TV host and public speaker who specialised in sharing the lessons he’d learned during his rollercoaster career.
A funeral service, held at the spiritual home of Krahouer’s WAFL premiership with Swan Districts, brought together former teammates, family and friends.
Hundreds gathered to farewell AFL legend Andrew Krakouer who passed away last month
The funeral service, held at the spiritual home of Krahouer’s WAFL premiership with Swan Districts, brought together family, friends and teammates
Krakouer shared the lessons from his roller-coaster career and time in jail by becoming a public speaker after his retirement from footy
Among the many mourners present was former Pies teammate Héritier Lumumba who remembered Krakouer as an ‘incredible human being’.
‘He moved like he just had rhythm all the time, he always was always on beat, he was graceful and had the ability to move clean under pressure, but it also showed up in how he navigated life as well,’ Lumumba said.
‘He was loyal to his people and just wanted to do the best and get the most out of himself in life, whether it was in the media, whether in the community, he was a man that met every challenge head on.
‘We all know the legendary bloodline that Krakouer came from and you know the brilliance that the family has given to the football world, inspiring so many is something that Andrew carried forward from his uncle and his dad.
‘He did things on the field that had never been seen before, and inspired a whole new, different way of playing the game of football.
‘He didn’t stand in that shadow, he came in, and he added to that legacy, he did things that were just remarkable.
‘I know how many people he inspired doing it, but it wasn’t just what he did on the field, moreso it was what he did off the field.
‘His spirit will live on his work, his impact will continue to inspire people for generations to come.’
Ex-Collingwood teammate Héritier Lumumba said Krakouer was an incredible human being
After starring for the Richmond Tigers, Krakouer spent time in jail before resurrecting his career with Collingwood (pictured)
Yokayi Footy host Megan Waters said her co-host’s story was simply ‘remarkable’
Krakouer’s Swan Districts coach Brian Dawson explained that there were ‘simply not enough superlatives to describe his 2010 season or his grand final display’.
‘He won just about all there was to win in 2010. He played in the State team, he won the Sandover Medal with 44 votes, eight clear of the runner-up, he won the Swan Medal for the cub fairest and best,’ Dawson explained to mourners.
‘He won the club award for best player in the finals, he won the Simpson Medal in the grand final with the maximum 15 votes, and a premiership medal to top it off, where he absolutely dominated the game, with 41 possessions, four goals and most importantly the winning goal with 28 seconds left to play.
‘His grand final display ranks as probably the finest and most impactful individual game ever played in the WAFL.’
In 2022, Krakouer signed on to host the SBS TV show Yokayi Footy, and last year he released a children’s book aimed at helping kids whose parents have been jailed.
‘My Dad’s Gone Away’ was inspired by Krakouer’s experiences as a prisoner – and by the jailing of his father Jim when he was just 13 years old.
The Tigers and Magpies star became a TV footy show host in retirement and even wrote a children’s book to help kids whose parents have been jailed
Krakouer is pictured with Barbara Garlett, with whom he had two daughters
His Yokayi co-host, Megan Waters, said Krakouer’s story was simply ‘remarkable.’
‘The reality of moving forward in a world that Andy no longer physically exists in is one of the most gut-wrenching things I have ever faced,’ she said.
‘The way he moved through the world made people feel seen as it was important for him to do what he could uplift our community and lead by example.
‘I am so grateful to have learned from him, who I become moving forward and the values that I carry will be a testament to the mark that he’s left.’