AFL LEGEND and former North Melbourne premiership coach Ron Barassi has paid tribute to 1975 premiership ruckman Mick Nolan, who passed away yesterday at the age of 58 after a short battle with cancer.

The man with one of the best nicknames in football, "The Galloping Gasometer" – bestowed on him by Lou Richards – was only diagnosed with the illness just over a week ago.

With a playing weight in excess of 120kg, the nickname was perfect, but Barassi – who was coaching the Roos when Nolan was brought to the club from the Wangaratta Rovers by club supremo Ron Joseph – said his bulk shouldn't overshadow his abilities.

"One of the things about Mick is that he was such a character, and had such an unusual physical appearance, that his features as a footballer might be forgotten," Barassi said.

"The best man in a position to give you an accurate description of his abilities was his rover, Barry Cable (widely regarded as one of North's greatest players). He said he was the best ruckman he ever roved to. A rover lives or dies on his ruckman in that area, so for him to say that tells you something.

"On top of that, we know he was a great character, but he did have character as well. It's all very well being a funny man, but when you're out there in the middle of a footy match, and things are needed, and you produce them, that's character."

But Barassi's very first impressions weren't as favourable.

"My first thoughts? (laughs) Well, he got on the training track without me being introduced to him or knowing about him, and I spotted him, and I said: 'Who the bloody hell is that?'

"Luckily John Dugdale (chairman of selectors) had been informed, and knew how he was, and he said, 'Oh, Ron Joseph has brought him down', so I immediately calmed down, because I knew that Ron had good judgment.

"I could certainly see he could do all the football things. For the remainder of the week I just wanted to see him play, because you could soon see that he had ability."

While footy fans might have questioned Nolan's work ethic on account of his appearance, Barassi said there was nothing to suggest his charge was doing anything to avoid the punishing training regime he oversaw as the game began its evolution towards full-time professionalism.

"If he did, he certainly fooled me. I remember once we had a time trial in the preseason, and he didn't make it, so he had to do some extra work – he was slugging it out running laps by himself. It was probably the hardest thing he's ever done, running laps by himself (laughs).

"It's funny, because he was quite slim from the hips down, and from the shoulders out – his arms and legs were quite normal. In fact, for a man of his height, probably slim.

"It was just the rest of his body."

Barassi said some of his best memories of the big man was his ability to do the right thing when they needed to be done, and how much he was liked.

"He set the example – some of his best games were in big games, and that's always something that proves to me that this man is going to be there when the chips are down.

"One of the most popular guys in football."