And so it was on Wednesday, it didn't matter if you were a die-hard St Kilda fan, a Richmond supporter remembering a coach, or a member of a completely different club, people celebrated the life of a humble farm boy from Bungaree.

FULL COVERAGE

WATCH THE FUNERAL: Thousands bid farewell

IMPACT: The simple spud farmer from Bungaree

LIFE AND TIMES: Bungaree's favourite son

In what other field could thousands of people, many who would have never even met the man or saw him play for St Kilda, come together as one?

Linton Street, a place where Danny Frawley roamed the backline for many of his 240 games was the perfect venue to send off a champion footballer, a loving and committed father-of-three and as was said many times, a man loved by everyone who met him, or even knew of him.

Whether it was long-time friend Garry Lyon telling us about a night at the harness racing, Bounce colleague Jason Dunstall remembering Frawley trying his hand at skiing, or teammate Stewart Loewe remembering the day he and Danny tried to tear down the Moorabbin grandstand to keep a few of the old wooden plank seats, the stories came thick and fast.

But perhaps the most poignant moment was when former North Melbourne and Sydney footballer Wayne Schwass spoke from the heart about his own mental health battles and how it was time for people, particularly men, to seek help and to stay the course - something Danny's wife Anita had publicly made others aware of this week.

"It's okay to be sad, but it's no longer okay to suffer in silence," Schwass pointedly said.

There were about 2000 people at Moorabbin Oval who sat watching the big screen listening to every speaker talk about their hero.

And then it was their turn. As the late afternoon shadows lengthened across the Saints' spiritual home, the sound of a lone bagpiper heralded the final lap of a champion who gave everything he had in his short 56 years.

As one they applauded the hearse carrying a man they all loved to his final resting place.

The club song, When The Saints Go Marching In, played and the fans wept for the loss of one of their own, their family, their friend.

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