Those who were there will never forget it. Some of the game's most rugged combatants were reduced to tears as the legendary E J Whitten made his way around the Victorian room before the 1995 State of Origin clash against South Australia, supported by St Kilda skipper Danny Frawley, who introduced each player to Whitten. Weeks earlier Whitten had revealed that he was suffering from terminal prostate cancer, and he was now blind.

Whitten, who had become the standard bearer for the State of Origin concept, offered a special word for each of the footballers who would soon run onto the MCG in his beloved Big V.

Outside, the weather was bitterly cold, but more than 60,000 fans had turned out for what was sure to be an emotional afternoon. Former opponents – friends – stood in the players’ race as EJ and his son, Ted Jr, embarked on their slow, emotion-charged lap of honour.

The devoted son spoke constantly into his father’s ear as they drove around the boundary. The ripples of applause grew louder and tears flowed freely from stands packed full of fans who, it was likely, had never even met the man dubbed “Mr Football” but somehow felt they knew him.

A tearful Whitten blew kisses, waved and occasionally summoned his strength to thrust a fist-clenched arm upwards in his signature “stick it up ‘em” gesture, before finally, so movingly, leaning on his son’s shoulder and caressing his cheek as they left the MCG for the final time. And the Big V did their greatest fan proud, defeating the Croweaters by 10 goals.

Exactly two months later, EJ died.