The life of rugby league immortal Arthur Beetson has been celebrated with laughter, tears and memories of his brilliance as a player and indigenous leader during an emotional ceremony at the SCG on Sunday.
Around 2000 family, friends, ex-teammates and league fans sat in the stands of the ground where Beetson played his first and last game in Sydney, paying tribute to the champion forward in an uplifting 90-minute service.
The larger-than-life Beetson died of a heart attack on December 1 aged 66.
But it's clear from the many tributes afforded him during the ceremony - held in conjunction with a similar gathering at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium - that the ball-playing front rower will never be forgotten.
"I can't imagine rugby league without black fellas and I can't imagine black fellas without rugby league," Indigenous Council chairman William 'Smiley' Johnstone told the Sydney audience.
"There simply won't be another Arthur Beetson."
"We miss you, we love you and we'll never forget you."
SCG Trust chairman Rodney Cavalier charted Beetson's rise from an unknown kid from country Roma in Queensland to his playing days at Balmain, Easts and Parramatta.
The SCG was the scene of the Roosters' Beetson-led premierships in 1974-75.
The ground also played host to Australia's 1974 Ashes triumph over Great Britain, with Beetson the first indigenous person to captain a national sporting team.
He is famously regarded as the Godfather of State of Origin football, pulling on the maroon jersey at 35 to spark Queensland's 20-10 win over NSW and kick-start the fiercest rivalry in Australian sport.
"But Arthur didn't need State of Origin to attain greatness - State of Origin needed Arthur," Cavalier pointed out.
Balmain great Keith Barnes spoke of Beetson's early days at Leichhardt Oval while former league administrator and Beetson's ex-Roosters teammate John Quayle fondly remembered his old mate's silky ball skills - and liking for a feed.
Quayle, who was boss of Easts Leagues Club in the early 70s, recalled employing Beetson and taking him on a tour of the club's facilities.
"Arthur didn't seem too interested until he came across the bakery and his eyes lit up," Quayle smiled.
"It didn't take long before he was on first name basis with the pastry chef and all the chefs in the kitchen."
Beetson's battle with his weight was legendary and led to his nicknames 'meat pie Artie' or 'half a game Artie'
"When Jack Gibson was told Arthur was losing weight he commented: 'Don't worry, he'll find it again'," Quayle quipped.
"Arthur gave us so much pleasure on and off the field."
"We'd all get the credit for the tries but it was Arthur who invariably threw the last pass."
"Never in the history of the game has there been such a sustained period of regret and celebration of the life of a great player as there has been with Arthur."
"The last two weeks have been pretty amazing."
"We are celebrating the life of an extraordinary Australian - a man who was larger than life."
Another former Easts teammate John 'Bomber' Peard had the crowd in tears - of laughter - as he rolled out his favourite Beetson stories.
"I was travelling with Arthur through country NSW and we stopped at this motel and I asked the girl behind the counter 'how much to stay here for the night?'" Peard started
"She said $150 and Arthur, who is behind me, says 'we'll pay that with pleasure'."
"She says