Even when the Adam Goodes booing saga was at its most hysterical, driving him off the field for a week and crystallising his intention to retire, he did not hesitate in co-operating for an oil portrait of his memorable war dance from earlier in the season, which will be unveiled at the Sydney best and fairest count on Friday night.
Goodes told artist Jamie Cooper the image represented much of who he was as a man and footballer.
At one point Cooper asked Goodes if he wanted to scrap the painting, knowing its emergence would reanimate debate about the moment and perhaps revive painful memories for the man.
But Goodes was unwavering. He made no public appearance in Melbourne in grand final week, but he did visit Cooper's house to sign a limited run of 372 prints (one for each game of his career), and incidentally to give the thrill of a lifetime to a primary school-aged neighbour who happened to be playing in Cooper's backyard that day.
"He had a pretty good idea that when it all dies down, in the years to come, that image will be remembered, for all the right reasons," Cooper said. "He said that was a really defining moment for him. He was really committed all the way through."
Cooper, for his part, says the almost life-sized portrait is the most important work of his career.
Now 51, Cooper played 26 games for Fitzroy from 1984 to 1987 before creating a niche for himself as a painter of iconic football images.
"I understand what it is in the art world. It's commercial art for a particular market," he said.
"I don't pretend it's more than that. But to me, this is more than that. It's something I felt really strongly about, separate from doing the painting. I was really worked up about the reaction to the whole thing."
Initially, Goodes and Cooper had tossed around as models for the painting some of Goodes' memorable marks, kicks and goals, but when Cooper suggested the war dance, Goodes leapt at it.
In its time, it was only ever meant to be a celebration of Indigenous football, Goodes told Cooper, to be performed either by himself or Lewis Jetta, whoever kicked a goal first that day.
"It was meant to be a bit of serious fun," said Cooper. But it became symbolic instantly. And this was before the booing had reached its crescendo.
With help from the Swans and the SCG, some props and Goodes' patient re-enactments, a photographer created an image from which Cooper could work.
The result is a vivid and arresting image, frozen at the height of Goodes' imaginary spear throw.
"We wanted it to be Adam staring straight down the barrel," said Cooper. "He wanted the power of that moment to be captured, and so did I."
Cooper admires Goodes for the way he has put himself out there for the sake of his people, but is dismayed by the virulence of some of the reaction to him.
"I've got no right to say anything on behalf of an Indigenous person. What do I know?" he said "But I've got the right to say I'm pissed off at the reaction to something that's happening in my community.
"I felt a kind of shame for my society, that the reaction was so loud, that people were so lazy in their thinking not to understand that on this occasion there was more to it. It's not just about upsetting an opposition player to get an advantage for your team.
"Sometimes, you've got to see there's more to it."
Cooper marvels at Goodes' "courage to be vulnerable", in a culture in which it would he easier to do and say nothing.
In a small way, he felt he was taking a Goodes-style risk.
"From a purely selfish view, I make my living selling paintings and prints in the memorabilia market. It's in my interests to choose things that are going to be easily digestible," he said.
"This isn't. I kept thinking this might not be a good business move. But for the first time in 18 years of doing this stuff, I thought, I really don't care. I just want to do this."
Cooper's painting has been bought by the Swans and will hang at the SCG. Goodes himself will recede from public view again after Friday night.
