Swan Districts Premiership coach Brian Dawson has remembered former AFL Player Andrew Krackouer as an outstanding footballer with an inspirational story following his tragic death.

The footy community is in mourning after Krakouer passed away on Sunday night in Perth, aged just 42 from a suspected heart attack.

The former Richmond and Collingwood player played 137 games throughout his career spanning from 2001 to 2013. He also won Mark of the Year at Collingwood in 2011. 

In his WAFL career, Krakouer will be remembered as crucial figure in Swan Districts’ 2010 flag again Claremont, producing one of the strongest games ever recorded in Aussie Rules. 

Speaking to SportFM, Dawson – who coached the 2010 premiership side, says he left legacy at the Swans, despite spending a short time there.

“He leaves a large legacy I think in terms of, one, his football, but two, probably more importantly, his story is inspirational,” he said. 

“I think, in terms of, particularly Indigenous players, giving them something to really look forward to and say that, it’s not all over, you can make a mistake, you can come back, you can work hard at it and things can turn around. I think that’s his ultimate legacy.

“On a Swans level, he’s a Sandover medalist with the club, he’s a Simpson medalist, he’s a Swans medalist, so he’s got a large legacy there forever.”

Krakouer was drafted with Pick 41 in 2000 National Draft to Richmond, where he spent seven seasons before being delisted at the end of 2007.

Following his delisting, came to Perth and was signed on by Swan Districts in the WAFL. 

However, in June 2008,  Krakouer was found guilty of assault with attempt to cause bodily harm and spent four years in prison, before being released on parole in 2009.

Krakouer rejoined the Swans in 2010 and delivered a season strong enough to put him back on AFL clubs’ radar, with Collingwood signing him on in 2011. 

In Swan Districts’ one-point Grabd Final win over Claremont, Krakouer was named the Simpson Medallist for his phenomenal 42-disposal performance. 

He also kicked four goals, including the match winner in the 33rd minute of the final quarter. 

Champion Data Analysis of this game revealed Krakouer accumulated 290 points, the most of any Aussie Rules player since the method was introduced in 2004.

Reflecting on that season, Dawson said Krakouer’s return to AFL was a great way to finish his journey with the Swans.

“We were certainly hoping he was going to have a good game. It probably exceeded all expectations and probably fortunately for us it did,” he said.

“He won the Swan Medal as well, the Swan’s fairest and best, so he won everything that was on offer for him that year, played state football.  

“I think around about the time that he played state football in mid-year, he may have just started to think that maybe an AFL comeback wasn’t out of the question. 

“I think he really probably then set his mind to that in the second half of the year and very deservedly, he got the call up and joined Collingwood the next year. 

“It was just a great finish to our little part of the story, I suppose, the fact that he was able to get back into the AFL and perform really, really well when he was there.”

Away from football, Dawson described Krakouer’s story and comeback after a difficult period an inspirational one, with family as a driving factor.

“He really knuckled down and set himself on the path to redemption,” he said.

“He disciplined himself and committed himself to make sure that he firstly provided well for his family, that was the first sort of thing that he really said when he came back in 2010.

“I guess, fortunately, football became a vehicle through which he could do that. But it wasn’t the prime motivation right at the beginning. It was certainly very keen about looking after his family well.”

IMAGE: The Age Newspaper