Of that group, eight captained their club and 21 have gone on to become premiership players.
“The Geelong Falcons program is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary Mick Turner,” the Falcons statement read.
“Put simply, the Geelong Falcons aren’t the program it is today without Mick.
“In his 25 years as talent manager, he guided so many careers on and off the field and has had a monumental impact on football in the southwest of Victoria over many decades.
Turner was a gifted childhood athlete but never a “footy head”.
“The only reason I went to football is I was good at it,” he told Hanlon.
He took time to mature, with the Cats sending him home after the 1973 pre-season to bulk up his 64kg frame.
He recalled his dad taking a phone call from Bob Davis early in his time in Geelong and saying: “We’re having trouble with Michael, his attitude’s shit house.”
The subsequent father-son chat about the choice he faced – of being a big fish in a small pond, or working hard to be a big fish in football’s biggest pond.
“So we knuckled down,” he said.
During his illustrious career he kicked 285 goals for the club, leading Geelong’s goal kicking in 1982 with 40 goals, and he booted goal of the year in 1980 against Richmond.
Turner is survived by wife Karen and sons Levi and Che, their partners Brooke and Grace, and his beloved grandchildren Frankie, Ziggy, Raff, and Arlo.
Mick and Karen were together almost 42 years, having met at a Geelong Amateurs nightclub when he pointed to the bohemian across the room with blonde hair down to her backside and said, “That’s the sort of girl I’d like to marry.”
Turner served as captain-coach of Werribee in the Victorian Football Association before being appointed as regional manager of the Geelong Falcons in 1995.
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He was also hugely influential at the Barwon Heads Football & Netball Club serving many roles including vice president, committeeman, chairman of selectors, recruiter, and many others.
In later years, Turner moved to Lorne where his son Che played in the 2016 premiership.
With others, he was instrumental in landing Ed Curnow as playing-coach this season, fresh from Carlton’s midfield, and mentored him in the background.
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said Turner had contributed enormously to the ongoing strength of the game with his guiding hand for the talented juniors from the Geelong region.
“The AFL offers its sincere condolences to Michael’s family, particularly his wife Karen and sons Levi and Che and their families, as well as Mick’s many friends across football, the Geelong Football club, and fans of the game,” Dillon said.
“Mick Turner was a brilliant wingman in an era of fantastic players who starred across the middle of the ground and Cats’ fans remember him for his pace and ability to kick a big team-lifting goal.
“Post his playing career, he gave so much more to the game as a mentor and confidant to generations of talented young players and many of our greats who have come out of the Falcons’ program all cite him as a pivotal influence on their success,” Dillon said.
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