AFL fans' beautiful gesture for late Danny Frawley
The AFL world has been left heartbroken after the death of St Kilda champion and beloved media commentator Danny Frawley.
The former player and coach tragically died in a car accident on Monday.
'ABSOLUTELY SHATTERED': AFL world in shock over Danny Frawley tragedy
Tributes have poured in from all corners of the AFL community, with many focusing on Frawley’s unique combination of humour and trenchant football insight.
In a fitting tribute to the Saints Hall of Fame member, a petition has emerged to make his ‘Golden Fist’ award for the league’s best defender an official AFL award, which is given out on Brownlow Medal night.
Frawley, one of the competition’s best defenders during his playing career, had long argued that defenders did not get the same plaudits their midfield and forward line colleagues enjoyed.
The award was introduced on Fox Footy program The Bounce, which Frawley co-hosted with former Hawthorn goal-kicking great Jason Dunstall.
The duo were notorious for their running battles over the show’s 350+ episodes, with many of Frawley’s colleagues struggling to comprehend his passing.
More than 38,000 people had signed the petition as of 2:30pm on Tuesday.
Mates tearing up after Frawley’s death
Three time premiership winner and Fox Footy commentator Jonathan Brown held back tears as he shared a story about Frawley.
Speaking on the Fox Footy show On The Couch, Brown and Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos shared emotional stories of Frawley after his tragic death.
Brown recounted the story of watching Frawley on tours of country Victoria when he was younger and how it inspired a younger generation.
“My first memory of Spud was with Roosy when they used to go around Victoria and do the Victorian super clinics,” Brown said.
“Coming to the ground and seeing Spud, and then 20 years later I was doing the same thing with him, when we were going around country Victoria on the Toyota regional bus tours.
“I looked at those kids and I thought, I saw myself in those kids. I thought, 20 years ago I was doing that.”
Roos echoed the sentiment of Frawley’s influence on the game, recounting his stories travelling with Spud throughout the tours of country Victoria.
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