IN LOVING MEMORY NEIL KERLEY AM Fair Dinkum-Magician-Hero-Warrior

PASH – ‘The Pash Papers’??

“Kerley is really a most perfect accomplished footballer. He is master of the massive, deliberate capture of the ball…In fact, deliberateness marks all he does… When he goes for the ball he either gets it or achieves something.”??

THE KING OF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL: KING-KNUCKLES-KERLS - OBITUARY?????

Donald Neil Kerley was a self-made superhuman machine - a life force - a magician, who?transcended the norm.???

He was renowned as having a rare ability to understand others better than they knew themselves; an innate, natural gift that enabled him to bring out the best in others on and off the footy field.????

Loyal,?honest and true to himself to the end, his inspirational public talks regularly brought audiences to their feet.?????

Kerl’s on the ground contribution ‘made’ Aussie Rules ‘Great’ over decades.?????

With telepathic insights and judgements, he intuitively understood aptitude and abilities that empowered him with a rare ability to make ‘others’ great, while forsaking himself and his personal safety to not only win premierships, but to better the lives of players under his command.???

A team man, he was certainly not one to appease umpires or chase their Magarey Medal vote as he did not compromise team loyalty to win anyone’s vote, to his peril. Love him - or hate him - he was his own man.?????????

He was without doubt SA’s shining star who achieved the highest accolade from Greats, Legends of the game across the nation - they loved him and are shocked and deeply saddened as is evident by their many messages post his passing.????

They saw him as immortal, an invincible with his historic, overall success as player, coach, influencer, based on his record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, brilliance and character - and lively personality, winning over interstate footy greats to become a 'Giant' and a ‘Legend’, accorded true, due, historic reverence.??????

It was not just his star status as a unique 'package' on the field. It was his natural endearing personality and his ability to bring great joy with his footy 'stories' that were priceless; repeated time after time that brought laughter, joy and reminded, particular his Vic mates of the great years when football was good ole fashioned 'Footy'.????

He not only accomplished much to enrich the game, he refused to accept financial gain to do gigs for his mates - others receive in the hundreds of thousands, because he treated most like mates - and money was never his primary ‘goal’.???

Hence, unbeknown to many, his generosity to so many causes, without seeking personal, financial gain or public recognition is only known to few.?????

A proud mum, Lillian, who suffered the loss of husband,?Laurie,?early, post war, leaving her to care for a family of six,?Michael, Ronald, James, Jennifer, and Brian;?Kerls was a Legacy boy in a loving family who struggled - but knew the value of 'love' and 'giving'.????

He came from nothing and wanted to give to others without receiving recognition.?He ‘lived giving’ in abundance.?????

If a ‘man’ is heralded by his peers as being without peer, having won the respect of the fiercest of foes, friends a many and strangers alike – he has truly earned his place in History as a 'Great Human Being', who will forever live in the 'Hall of Legends'.?????

So deeply missed by those who loved him, the irrepressible, irreplaceable, super-human.???????

Such was the ‘man’ Donald Neil Kerley,?so dearly loved by millions of Australians!??

Now in the arms of his much-loved deceased soulmate son, Donald and daughter Robyn, who her beloved fathered stood by to the end, like a lone soldier…as he continues to for those he loved and will continue to love until the end of days.?????

The “Great Man” weathered many storms, ‘hail’, ‘barbs’, brutal bastardry on and off the field a many and stayed the course to be washed down the Big River in which now only his ashes will tell his untold story. ‘Lest We Forget’!??

Sincere condolences to the Kerley grandchildren and Neil’s son, Donald Neil Kerley's life partner, Nikki, Kerls' ole ‘fishing mate’.??

Adored, admired, respected by those who knew and loved him, the?“ole bastard”?lives on…. he did not die; he has not left! His spirit remains stronger than ever in ‘Life’ for evermore…till?‘Eternity’.??

Special thanks to Neil’s ‘Great Vic Mates’…??You made him feel so loved, respected, and he was so honoured that you acknowledged him with genuine friendship – he loved you; the old Vic army, ‘enemy’ and he was so, so proud that you accepted him as a ‘mate’.??You helped make his life ‘complete’…as I quote a gem of a text from, Sam Newman, who summed up Knuckles to a tee;???

“….I loved that man, because he was so gruff – and SO gentle.??

Knew how to play the game of life!”?????

Thank you for all your many messages of love and support?????????

With Love????

Neil asked to have a page in the book,?Making Sense of Life Before We L’Eve…Those Were The Days’,?as he had come up with ‘words’... rolling away in his head?on how to beat depression, completely out of the ‘Blue’. Hence, on print deadline came; 'King Knuckles Kerley' 'Top Five Tips' on how to beat depression - and his 'Testimonial' contributions. Note?'Wiki'?has Neil holding this book cover, since his passing...??