Shane Warne has been remembered as ‘simply the best’ by family, friends and cricket greats at the Moorabbin home of his beloved St Kilda football club on Sunday.
The Victorian cricket legend’s private funeral was held two weeks after his sudden death in on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui.
Watch Shane Warne’s children join in a tribute with his beloved Saints in the video above
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The 52-year-old died of a suspected heart attack.
Glenn McGrath, Merv Hughes, Ian Healy, Darren Berry, Brendon Julian, Mark Waugh, Mark Taylor, Michael Clarke and Allan Border were among the Australian cricketers to attend the service, as well as England great Michael Vaughan.
But Warne’s circles extended well beyond his chosen sport.
Former footballers Aaron Hamill and Sam Newman, poker player Joe Hachem, broadcaster Eddie McGuire and singer Dannii Minogue were also among the 80 guests.
Guests were invited to wear St Kilda scarves and a pair of them were draped across Warne’s coffin as it was driven around Moorabbin Oval to the sound of the 1970s Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes hit ‘The Time of My Life’.
His family - led by two of his children, Jackson and Brooke - followed behind.
The lap of honour was immediately followed by a champagne toast.
McGuire urged the mourners to be louder as he led three cheers.
“To Warnie,” he declared.
“He was simply the best.”
Tina Turner’s anthem, which made the popular accolade a household phrase, was then played to a round of applause.
McGuire, who delivered the eulogy and led the service, said Warne “sprinkled his gold dust everywhere he went”.
“He brought together so many things,” McGuire told News Corp prior to the funeral.
“The reason why he was so loved is because he was fallible, he was Superman. You threw the ball to Warne, you sat in that Southern Stand and he did the things you dreamt of doing as a kid.
“He had the (Test) hat-trick, took 700 wickets, the Gatting ball, he did everything.
“He did the things like ‘wow, I wonder what it would be like to be a playboy in London society’.”
Liz Hurley: ‘It still hasn’t really sunk in’
Warne’s former fiancee Liz Hurley shared on Instagram that she would not be able to attend the funeral.
“I was filming last night and, with the time jump, physically can’t get there,” she said, alongside several photos taken in Sri Lanka to celebrate their engagement.
“We had all our children with us and it was the happiest time,” she added.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone.
“It seems too cruel that all the people who loved him will never have another Lion hug, but our memories will live forever.
“RIP Lionheart, with love your Luna.”
It’s not yet known whether Hurley will attend a state memorial at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 30 where the wider public will be able to pay their respects to an Australian icon.
She is understood to currently be in the United Kingdom.
The ground’s Great Southern Stand will also be renamed in Warne’s honour.
Tickets for the memorial are expected to become available later this week.
Warne’s statue outside the MCG has remained a shrine to the Australian cricket icon through the opening round of the AFL season.
He was also honoured at St Kilda’s season opener at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, with his children Jackson and Brooke tossing the coin.
The cricketing legend’s death little more than two weeks ago led to an outpouring of grief from people around the world, as well as those closer to home.
St Kilda Cricket Club coach Glenn Lalor told AAP about his time playing with Warne in the early 2000s.
“Every time Shane was available he would love coming back and playing with us, which was great,” Mr Lalor said.
“The boys appreciated playing with a legend.
“He was just an everyday bloke that just wanted to be around and enjoy the day. He was never hard to deal with, he was always fun.”
Mr Lalor said Warne made sure even elite cricket retained a sense of joy.
“He had a point of difference,” he said. “There’s a lot of professionalism, I suppose, in cricket now but he just kept it real.”
Club president Paul Ryan said: “Shane was the greatest cricketer our club has produced in its 168-year history.
“However, just as importantly he was also a great friend to many at our club and supporter of our club.
“Shane is, and will continue to be, greatly missed (but) we are very conscious that our loss needs to be kept in perspective with the devastation being felt by his children and family.”
- with AAP
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2022-03-20 03:33:45Z
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