TASMANIANS have said goodbye to their favourite football legend, Darrel Baldock, on Friday.

A State funeral, with 5000 people in attendance, were at the Latrobe Recreation Ground to give their last respects to St Kilda's 1966 premiership captain.

Baldock died in the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe on February 2 after a long illness brought on by a series of minor strokes.

Many of his St Kilda premiership teammates travelled from Victoria to attend the funeral, with AFL commissioner Graeme John also there.

Triple Brownlow medallist Ian Stewart provided a moving tribute to Baldock during the funeral service.

"As our captain, Doc was a wonderful leader, a magnificent captain, a general on the field, he led by example, he copped a battering because of the position he played at, centre half-forward, he never once complained, he was a leader everybody looked up to," Stewart said.

"Everybody in our side looked at Darrel as being up there as a footballer, then daylight then the rest of us … he was the greatest."

To give the younger players an idea on how good Baldock was, Stewart was prepared to compare him to some later players.

"He had better ground skills and ball control than Gary Ablett jnr, his baulking and evasive skills were at least the equal to Robert Harvey.

"Pack marking in front of pack, there's a player at Brisbane, Jonathan Brown - Doc was a courageous and great pack mark, he had the strength and balance of Leigh Matthews and the courage of Glenn Archer and Nick Reiwoldt.

"If you combine what those champions have got, it will give you an indication of how great Doc was.

"But his greatest strength on the field was his ability to read the play two or three seconds before it ever happened."

Stewart said he had worshipped Baldock as a youngster growing up in Tasmania and he always wanted to play alongside him.

Stewart was joined at the funeral by 1966 teammates Kevin 'Cowboy' Neale,  Barry Breen, John Bingley, Ross Smith and Keith Billing.

Danny Frawley, who was St Kilda's captain when Baldock returned as coach in 1987, made the trip across Bass Strait and was joined by present day captain Nick Riewoldt and coach Ross Lyon.

Trucking magnate Lindsay Fox had provided one of his private jets to fly many of the Saints into the Devonport airport.

The AFL was represented by commissioner and former South Melbourne player Graeme John who had played against Baldock during their AFL careers.

A wide cross-section of sportsmen, politicians, community and business leaders and general public attended yesterday's funeral which was held on the ground where Baldock had led Latrobe to four consecutive premierships on his return from St Kilda in 1969.

His younger brother Graeme provided a touching eulogy to close the 90-minute funeral service.

"Darrel was defined by his huge heart, his courage and his determination and strong leadership is unchallenged.

"Remember back to the 1966 premiership with St Kilda when surrounded by his teammates he instinctively ran towards the ever faithful supporters in the crowd and did a full lap of the MCG.

"And in that spontaneous act Darrel initiated a popular act which seems to be repeated by all premiership teams since then. We all have wonderful memories of Darrel."

The Tasmanian football fraternity was well represented at the funeral with officials from AFL Tasmania, the Northern Football League and the Northern Tasmanian Football Association.

Some of the interstate football media who gave their respects included Tim Lane, Martin Flanagan and Geoff Poulter.

Former Richmond champion Matthew Richardson, who came under Baldock's influence early in his career, was also in attendance.

Plans are now underway to determine how best to recognise Baldock's passing in future years.