The memorial service has concluded with Neale taken away by pallbearers; his children Loz, Luke and Ben, his brothers Terry and Chris, and his son-in-law Drew Howell.

Hamish McLachlan then delivered a touching final message.

“Neale was the best of humans, teacher to us all,” he said.

“A man who showed us what is possible, how to live a life full of purpose and to live, importantly, without complaint.

“He turned personal adversity into national inspiration. He showed us the attitude we choose each day is entirely up to us. I think it’s safe to say, he changed the way many of us look at the world and the cards we have been dealt.

“Some are measured by what they won on the field, Neale will always be remembered for what he refused to lose off it: His hope, his humour, his heart.

“He never asked us to feel sorry for him, he just asked us to fight alongside him.

“And a country picked up a beanie and answered collectively.

“We are a better community because of you. Neale you lost your voice and you are gone but your message remains very loud. We honour you today with our grief and we will continue to honour you with our doing.

“The world feels less without you, but much better because you are here.”

The Brisbane coach spoke about how Neale Daniher gave him first job in football.

“Neale gave me a job 29 years ago, god only knows why he gave me that job but I’m so greatful that he did. We’ve remained close friends ever since,” Fagan said.

“He has no doubt had a huge influence on my life and I have a lot to thank him for.”

Fagan recounted Neale’s “blunt” and “honest” style when he joined Melbourne as an assistant under Daniher.

“I was a bit shy and didn’t have much to say in meetings, and one day he pulled me aside and said ‘listen here, Fages, I didn’t bring you hear to just shift the cones around’,” he said.

“That was sort of code for, ‘I think you’ve got a bit more to offer’.

“It was good feedback.”

Fagan said he knew how to position himself out of the firing line when Daniher would unleash a spray during a half-time break.

He also revealed a story about how “nervous” he was in the coaching box when Daniher wanted to move David Neitz to the backline and Fagan said that was a bad idea.

Daniher ultimately went with Fagan and Melbourne won the match, much to the relief of Fagan.

Fagan also spoke about how he never wanted to play tennis with Daniher. It was OK playing against him, even if he lost, but when he played with Neale in doubles, he always copped a spray if he missed a shot.

The two-time premiership coach credits Daniher for helping becoming a senior coach.

“Neale made me feel valued, he gave me confidence, he believed in me, he helped me overcome my imposter syndrome of being an AFL coach without playing at the level. He just did those sorts of things for me over and over again,” Fagan said.

Long-time friend Cam Taylor has taken the stage.

“When Jan asked me to speak, the last thing she said, ‘make sure you give Neale a bit of a roast’,” he began.

He recounted a story about his son and the Daniher’s son becoming friends.

“I went around to pick up Ben and knocked on the door, and Neale answered, ‘Who are you?’ I’m Cam Taylor, Ben’s dad.

“Ben came out and I attempted some light banter, ‘Eagles going well?’ He looked at me and without saying anything, ‘take your son and nick off’.

“Good to meet you, Neale, might see you around.”

He said his first impressions weren’t that great, but that initial meeting laid the foundations to a great and longlasting friendship between the two families.

“Particular Jan and the kids as they were really nice people,” Cam added with a laugh.

David Neitz and Paul Hopgood both played under Neale Daniher at Melbourne.

Hopgood paid tribute to a coach that took the team from last place in 1997 to a prelim in 1998 and then grand final in 2000.

“He was resilient, tough, ruthless and tactical. He was a hard arse,” Hopgood said with a laugh.

Neitz said that “empathy wasn’t a strong point as a coach”.

He recounted a story about Brad Green speaking at a function about empathy, and Neale leaning over to tell Neitz, “Empathy!? He must be speaking about Fages”

“He then let out a very boisterous laugh, that he reserved for his own jokes.”

The pair shared a series of funny stories from his coaching career, while also praising the icon’s incredible fight against MND.

Plenty has been said about Neale as a father and grandfather, a coach and an MND advocate.

His brother Anthony remembered their childhood on the farm and a cheeky Neale playing his way off to Assumption College and later Essendon.

“In recent days we’ve heard Neale described as a hero, a legend, courageous and brave. He was all of those things,” he said.

“But to us he was simply our brother, a beautiful brother, a little boy, a determined look on his face, flexing on his beach, with a whole life in front of him.

“He laughed with us, teased us, gave us advice whether we asked for it or not, and always stood beside us.

“We will never forget the sound of his big, unmistakable laugh, his quick wit and that mischievous spark so uniquely Neale.”

Luke’s son Cooper and Loz’s daughter Rosie have bravely taken the stage to speak with their parents by their side.

“When I was born pops couldn’t hold me with his arms. He still found a way to rock me with his legs,” Cooper said.

“Even when he couldn’t talk he used his machine to chat and called me and my brother cheeky monkeys.

“My pops was brave and courageous and I hope I can be like him when I grow up. I miss you poppy, play on.”

Rosie helped push the sliders down on Monday.

“I love poppy very much, I wish he came back,” Rosie said.

“I love everywhere he took me. When I was born he would rock me to sleep on his legs. I love reading to pop and I can still read to him. I wish he could come back to see us and take me on adventures.

“I wish he could come back to the Big Freeze. Poppy I see you as a star in the sky, I hope you got to see me push the sliders down.

“I love you pop, goodbye.”

Daughter Bec has been by Neale’s side so many times throughout their tireless campaigning for FreezeMND.

“I feel incredible fortunate to have dad in my life for 35 years. He tested me, he supported me, he guided me and abaove all else, he loved us in his own way,” she began.

“When MND came into our lives it set off a grenade that changed the very foundations, but somehow in the middle of it, it brought us closer than ever.

“For 12 years, I worked side by side with him. In that time, he became more than a dad to me, he became my mentor, my coach and my confidant.

“I learnt so much from him and those lessons I will carry on with me forever.”

Bec went on to say that Neale inspired her and everyone else around him to be better people.

“He had this incredible ability to pull you in and have you hanging on every word he says, but not not quite sure where it will end up,” she continued.

“You’d laugh, you’d reflect and somehow woven into this were these powerful crumbs of wisdom, long after the story ended.

“I’ll admit I was pretty daunted when I had to speak on his behalf when his voice started failing him.

“But his message to me was simple: Be authentic, be yourself and don’t try to be anybody else.

“It was such a simple piece of advice but it grounded me every time I stepped up.”

Bec, who is expecting her third child in the coming days, broke down when speaking about the upcoming arrival.

“In the next week or two, we will be welcoming a little boy into the world,” she said through tears.

“I know you wanted to meet him, but he’ll have your spirit and laugh.

“We will forever miss you, we will forever love you.”

Luke said Neale made it easy to decide what to say at his funeral because of one acronym.

“WITO – where is the opportunity,” he said.

“Dad taught us that life isn’t a matter of if things will get tough, it’s just a matter of when and how often.

“The question wasn’t why me, the question was where is the opportunity. And trust me dad found opportunities everywhere.”

He remembered discovering Neale’s hiding spot for his beloved choc mint biscuits and sensed an opportunity.

Bec wanted nothing to do with it “but was happy to be my stepladder” as he played out his own Jesaulenko, you beauty moment.

But Neale was quick to spot the pair and “apparently dad had identified an opportunity as well – the opportunity to teach me a lesson”.

Neale caught up and taught him that “actions have consequences but more importantly lessons are opportunities”.

“As kids we thought dad was teaching us resilience. As adults I realised he was teaching us perspective,” Luke said.

“If you’re committed to something, see it through. If life got tough, have a crack anyway. If things don’t go to plan learn from it.”

He shared one of the last pieces of advice he received from Neale.

“Remember when striving to achieve goals sometimes you can forget to enjoy the here and now. Every day has something special to offer you, don’t miss it,” Luke said.

He said his father’s legacy is not what he achieved but what he passed on.

“The mark of a person isn’t what they say, it’s what they do, and dad did plenty,” Luke said.

“So today while many people will rightly remember dad for what he achieved I hope we also remember the man behidn it all – the dad, the husband, the mate, the pops, the choc biscuit protector, the man that taught us all life will test us all but we all get to choose our response.

“As we trek into the next phase of life one thing will continue to echo in the back of our heads – where is the opportunity.

“Thanks for everything dad, love you.”

Loz acknowedged others know Neale as a footballer, coach and MND advocate.

“But to Luke, Bec, Ben and I, he was dad,” she said.

“While we are his biological children that the Melbourne boys were like sons to him too.

“Dad was like all good parents, just trying to work it out as he went. He didn’t always get it right, which makes me laugh because he was such a perfectionist.

“He forgot to pick us up from school, he left Bec at Little Aths, and within five minutes of our first fishing trip the rods, bait and his phone fell off Freo pier.”

Loz described Neale as her “sounding board – and a reliable one at that”.

“If you asked for his opinion, you got the real thing,” she said.

She said being Poppy was one of Neale’s most special roles.

“I think it was one of the roles he treasured most,” Loz said.

“Dad became a pop after his MND diagnosis and as time went on and things got harder dad didn’t step back from the role – he made it his own.

“Even when he couldn’t talk or run after his grandkids he found his own way to be present, to be their pop.”

Loz concluded with a touching message but not without a laugh.

“Dad always said when life throws you a challenge you have two options – you can flourish or you can fold, and didn’t you flourish,” she said.

“None of this was easy. Losing the ability to communicate, to move, to breathe, you could’ve complained but you never did. You got up each day and focused on what you could do and you made the most of every single moment.

“You could’ve folded, but you never did. And I have endless admiration for that determination. Even when the Beast was delivering its final blows, the last thing dad communicated to mum and I was that he wanted to get up. Even when his body was failing his mind was still fighting on right to the very end.

“I’ll miss walking through the front door and seeing you smile from your chair. I will miss the look of annoyance when I misunderstood what you were trying to communicate – and if you’re wondering what that look is, just google a picture of dad from his coaching days.

“I will miss that cheeky grin you had on your face while you typed a smartarse comment. And I will miss the wink you would give us when you sorted us what you needed. We will play on for you, dad. I love you.”