Much of Western Australia’s footballing community has gathered in the state’s south-west to honour the life and legacy of West Coast Eagles premiership star Adam Hunter.
Former teammates Ben Cousins and Quinten Lynch were among the hundreds who arrived to farewell him at the grounds of the South Bunbury Football Club, 170km south of Perth, where Hunter began and ended his career.
The 43-year-old played in one of the Eagles’ most successful eras and was best known for his last quarter goal in the 2006 grand final against Sydney, which West Coast won by one point.
Adam Hunter celebrates a goal for the Eagles during the AFL First Qualifying Final against Sydney in Perth, 2006. (Getty Images: Adam Pretty)
But for his young son Reefe, it was the small details he said he would remember most about his dad, who “loved the taste of marron” and always used powdered milk on his cereal “even though it was sometimes lumpy”.
“On our last weekend together, dad and I went marron fishing,” he wrote, his words read out by Hunter’s mother Joanne Brown.
“In the morning, I’d wake up and we’d have a wrestle.”
His partner Latisha Yacoub said he had also been a loving stepfather.
Adam Hunter’s partner Latisha Yacoub remembered him as the love of her life and a caring step-father. (Supplied: AFL Photos)
“He always said we would have all the time in the world … he said ‘this is our year,'” she told the packed out grandstand.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you … I promise to get our house and build our white picket fence … I promise to do you proud.“
Ms Brown remembered her son as a rambunctious young boy and a loving, wise-cracking and grateful man.
“We also went on a rollercoaster ride during his life but he had come out the other side,” she said.
“He gave us so much love.”
Joanne Brown remembered Hunter as a loving son, and read words from Hunter’s sister Erin and son Reefe. (Supplied: AFL Photos)
Challenges no detraction from character
Jarred Hahn said being friends with Hunter growing up was “like a pick-your-own-adventure book”.
He said if teachers ever questioned Hunter about his work ethic, he would reply, “it doesn’t matter, I’m going to play football for a living”.
“He was the kid who lived out his dream,”
Mr Hahn said.
Former Eagles coach John Worsfold said his strongest memory of Hunter was when the team played an away game against Geelong.
Former Eagles coach John Worsfold said Adam Hunter was a uniquely committed team player who never missed training. (Supplied: AFL Photos)
By half time, they were losing badly. Hunter was on the bench, injured.
“He came back out with his head bandaged up grazed down his face from hitting the concrete and kicked two goals in the last quarter,” he said.
“We won.”
Hunter retired from the AFL in 2009 due to chronic shoulder and knee injuries.
“He would’ve lived the rest of his life with one arm if he could’ve squeezed a few years out of West Coast,”
Worsfold said.
Mourners filing into Hands Oval for Adam Hunter’s funeral. (ABC South West: Bridget McArthur)
Former West Coast CEO Trevor Nisbett, who also grew up in Bunbury, said while Hunter had faced a few issues in his private life he “never missed a beat” on the field.
“It’s hard to explain Hunts to some people,” he said.
“He accepted the challenges on field and he accepted them off field and is one of the most pleasant people I’ve ever met.”
A return to local footy
In recent years, Hunter returned to the team he had first played with in juniors as a seven-year-old — South Bunbury.
He had been training with them just hours before his death.
Club leader Peter Old said his legacy would live on in the younger players he mentored, many of whom were in the crowd.
South Bunbury Football Club players of all ages gathered to farewell their friend and mentor. (Supplied: AFL Photos)
Friend Graeme Walker, who was 25 years older than Hunter and saw him “like a son”, said Hunter had a unique ability to go shoulder-to-shoulder with players who were much bigger and stronger than him.
But he said Hunter, like other elite players who returned to local leagues, copped significant on-field abuse after his return.
Adam Hunter in action during a game between the Eagles and the Adelaide Crows in Perth, 2005. (Getty Images: Mark Dadswell)
“It came from some of the opposition spectators and there’s no part for it in our game,” he said.
His death was the fourth in the AFL community in one week following 40-year-old ex-Brisbane Lions player Troy Selwood, 59-year-old Essendon VFL coach Dale Tapping and 50-year-old former Adelaide Crows player Josh Mail.
Police are not treating it as suspicious or a suicide, and are preparing a report for the coroner.