Ron Barassi’s son shares dad’s ‘extremely painful’ final moments at AFL legend’s MCG state memorial

Ron Barassi’s son says his iconic father’s final year was “extremely painful”, but not without a fighting sense of humour and courage.

The Australian football Hall of Fame Legend, who won 10 premierships as a player and coach across four different clubs, passed away aged 87 on September 16.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Son pays tribute to Ron Barassi at memorial service.

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He was a giant of the game whose impact on the sport has left a peerless legacy.

Since his passing, the Melbourne, Carlton, North Melbourne and Sydney champion has been remembered for his fierce and unrelenting competitive nature.

He had an inexorable will to win, no matter what the challenge in life he faced.

At Friday morning’s state memorial held at the MCG, Ron’s “theatre of dreams”, as described by Master of Ceremonies Eddie McGuire, the legendary football figure’s namesake son gave the 5000-strong crowd a heartfelt account of what it was like to have Ron Barassi as a father.

He said his dad gave him tough love as a kid, but always maintained a sharp sense of humour and cheek — even at the end of his storied life.

“Dad lived an extraordinary life, but he had an extremely painful final year,” Ron Barassi III said.

“He never complained, though. Towards the end, dad was still physically strong.

“A few weeks before he passed away, I was helping him to get out of a chair. He had about 40kg on me, so it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I placed my feet near his and held his hands. I started to pull, but got nowhere. Because, for no particular reason other than the man he was, he had decided it was a competition.

“And he started pulling me towards himself, with a big smile on his face. Right to the very end, dad was cheeky, loved a laugh and had a magnificent sense of humour.”

Barassi III spoke eloquently and insightfully about his famous father, whose bronze statue sits just outside gate four of the stadium in which he was remembered.

But to the AFL icon’s son, Ron Barassi was just ‘dad’.

“Dad was a man who did not play it small. He intuitively knew that when we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same,” Barassi III said.

“Dad had the courage to do this, and he believed that we all could. He always put the clubs ahead of the individual, and the game ahead of the clubs.

“He knew too, that the game would be nothing like it is today without all of you, the supporters. He would thank you, and only ask that whatever your pursuit, whatever your goal, that you give it your best.”

In the words of his father, Barassi III said: “’The air is full of courage and all you need to do is take a deep breath and move forward’.

“I would like to stand here today not only as my father’s son, but also my namesake, Ronald James Barassi, my grandfather, dad’s father.

“I’m sure Ron senior and dad’s mother Elza would say, ‘Well done, we’re proud of you’. We are proud of you too, dad, and I want to thank you for being true, fearless and courageous enough to be yourself and play out your own life.

“I love you, dad. Thank you.”