Shortly after Ron Barassi’s father died in the battle of Tobruk, his grandfather Carlo brought the six-year-old boy a russet-brown kelpie. Barassi named the dog Koda – in tribute to the Australian soldiers who had captured the Kokoda Track – and, for the first time, found true friendship.
On Friday thousands of Barassi’s friends will descend on the MCG to celebrate a true visionary; the most important figure in Australian football history.
