Danny "Spud" Frawley has been remembered as a "loyal, amazing friend, proud loving father and husband" in a touching tribute from his cousin, best friend and best man.
Hundreds of fans have gathered St Kilda's old home ground in Moorabbin to watch a live broadcast of the funeral service from Kingston Town Hall.
Danny Quinlan told mourners he was too devastated to share any of the jokes the pair would regularly play on those close to them.
Watch the replay of the funeral here, streamed into Moorabbin Oval.
"Mate, we tried our best. We didn't get it done. I am going to miss you so badly, words cannot describe the heartache," Mr Quinlan, who spoke on behalf of Frawley's family, said.
The football great died last week in a single car crash at Millbrook, near Ballarat. He was 56.
"Give your mates a hug. Don't be afraid to talk about the big issues. I would love you to remember him as you heard him on the radio [Triple M] with Garry [Lyon] and the boys. They would wind him up and we'd hear the true Danny. He didn't have to act," Mr Quinlan said.
To Frawley's wife Anita and their three daughters, Mr Quinlan said: "Danny loved you Anita, and you loved him and he adored and was so proud of his three girls. How many times did we hear on the radio 'my beautiful wife Anita, and my beautiful three girls'."
Then former teammate Stewart Loewe spoke about his playing days.
"Stats never truly tell you a story about a football career and this is certainly the case with Spud," Loewe said.
"He not only became the captain at 23, but our spiritual leader ... both Danny and Anita's influence was enormous.
"They were an amazing team, and cared so much. Despite being not allowed, but at Frawley's behest, Loewe told how the pair once snuck into Moorabbin before it was demolished to remove some of the old green seats in the grandstand using power tools.
"As the whole ground now knew what we were up to, of course Danny was not going to give up," Loewe said.
Ken Sheldon, a former teammate and coach of Frawley at St Kilda, spoke of the connection Danny and wife Anita fostered within the club.
"He was the glue as a teammate," Sheldon said. "We were a struggling team but we were on our way up.
"There was so much vitality in him. And everybody he met he welcomed into the Saints.
"He is loved, and we love him, so much. We are so proud what Danny was able to do with his footy."
Watch Frawley's hearse do one final lap of Moorabbin.
At Richmond, current CEO chief executive Brendon Gale played under Frawley who coached the club from 2000 to 2004. Gale agreed with Sheldon that Frawley, with help from Anita, created a wonderful sense of community at Richmond through his warmth.
"He embraced and included everyone. Social activities, dinners, morning runs including everyone ... Richmond was a fun place to be [when Frawley was coach]," Gale said.
"His coaching delivered instant results for a team that had meandered in the previous seasons.
"The strength of Danny's coaching wasn't so much of the science it was in the art. He was the heart of the club.
"Sport doesn't just build character it reveals it and the full extent of Danny Frawley's character was on show every day.
"We loved Danny, and we wanted to play for him. Similarly he was loved by the fans who connected to his heart and passion."
Former teammates Robert Harvey, Tony Lockett and Nicky Winmar are at the funeral service, as are friends and former players Jason Dunstall, Garry Lyon and Brian Taylor.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is also in attendance, as is St Kilda supporter and Hollywood actor Eric Bana.
The service began at 3pm but mourners gathered in the perfect sunshine and blue skies on the Moorabbin playing field beforehand, with a photo slideshow honouring Frawley playing on screens.
Fans have also been adding to tributes left in front of the RSEA Park headquarters.
Hundreds gather at live stream site, by Greg Gliddon
"Hurricane" Danny Frawley is being remembered as a knockabout, lovely bloke who put everyone else's feelings first.
Hundreds of people have gathered, more than an hour before the start of his funeral, at Moorabbin Oval in south-east Melbourne.
Among the first to arrive have been a contingent of Ballarat Saints supporters who travelled by bus this morning.
John Harley and his wife Judy from Invermay Park have been following St Kilda for almost 30 years and reminisced about seeing Danny at full-back at Moorabbin Oval.
"I liked to call him 'the hurricane' because he lifted everyone up," Mr Harley said.
"He was iconic, he exuded personality and was loved by all who met him or knew of him.
"He was a laughable, lovable, knockabout Aussie farm bloke."
Heather Annand said it was a moment she was determined to be a part of.
"This is a once off opportunity, you'll never get a chance to be part of something like this again," she said.
"It's important that we can come today and show our respects not just for Danny but also for the family, they are such a lovely family."
"I had a bit to do with him and saw him play many times."
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