FORMER Murtoa football coach Milne McCooke has died, aged 76.
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McCooke coached Murtoa in Wimmera Football League from 1964 to 1967.
He played 13 games for St Kilda across two stints at the club in 1955 and 1957-58.
Horsham's John McDonald played under McCooke and remembers him as a passionate coach and player.
"He was as tough and rough as anyone to come to the Wimmera," McDonald said.
"He made a lot of us younger blokes at Murtoa walk tall. He was a protector.
"He was a great orator and spoke with a lot of passion in his pre-match addresses."
Murtoa's Roger Webb also played under McCooke.
He said he was a versatile player, who played either in the ruck or up forward.
"He was a very tough player but a very talented one as well," Webb said.
"He was quite a good coach and speaker. I think he spoke at one of the 200 Club dinners.
"He was a great townsman, a nice bloke."
Sport and Recreation Minister Hugh Delahunty said his father Frank was president at Murtoa during McCooke's time as coach.
Delahunty said McCooke had left a lasting impression on him.
"I remember him vividly. He was a dynamic big man and a very vocal person," Delahunty said.
"I can still remember him saying 'get that red blood through your veins'."
McCooke's funeral is today at Noble Park.