Geelong local footy legend Frank Fopiani dies, aged 51

Frank Fopiani passed away in his wife’s arms surrounded by his family after a short battle with cancer. His wife and son bravely open up on their final moments with him and what he meant to them.

Frank Fopiani has passed away. Peter Ristevski

You can’t stop ‘The Fop’.

That was the catchcry that became synonymous with the dominance of local footy legend Frank Fopiani as a footballer.

His son, Connor, and his wife, Sylvia believe this phrase will live on forever — both on and off the field.

“When he stepped into each room, everyone brightened up,” Sylvia said.

“Obviously, ‘you can’t stop ‘The Fop’,” Connor added.

“We were looking through old newspapers only a couple of weeks ago and we have collected heaps over the journey and it comes up, ‘You can’t stop ‘The Fop’.

“‘You can’t stop ‘The Fop,” Sylvia repeated. “Famous remark and it really was, you just can’t stop the ‘The Fop’.”

Fopiani, 51, tragically passed away on Monday morning from colorectal cancer just two months after being diagnosed.

Sylvia, Connor and his daughter Paige were with him for his final moments, where he fought until his very last breath.

Frank, Jess, Sylvia and Connor Fopiani. Picture: Supplied

Picture: Supplied

“He fell asleep in my arms. His final moments... I had my head tucked into his shoulder and his head was on top of mine and we just slept together and he fell asleep,” Sylvia said through tears.

“It was just good to help him, spend the last few days with him 24/7. Doing everything for him because he is my dad, and you do whatever you can. Obviously my sister also, doing everything that we can to just help our dad,” an emotional Connor said.

“Just constantly telling him how much we love him and how grateful we are and how sorry we are that this is happening to him,” Sylvia added.

On the football field, Fopiani was rated as the best Geelong Football Netball League player of all time by the Geelong Advertiser in 2015.

Connor has been told his dad is the best to ever do it in the GFNL countless times, and it never fails to make him smile.

A damaging ball-winner with speed to burn and silky skills, Fopiani was an unstoppable force in North Shore’s dominant era, winning seven premierships with the Seagulls (1993 and 1995-2000) and one flag with St Mary’s in 2004.

The five-time Seagulls best-and-fairest winner was renowned for standing up when it mattered most, finishing three of those grand finals — 1993, 1995 and 2004 — with best-on-ground medals.

Connor and his dad shared a strong bond through footy and work. Connor worked with him at his cabinet making business growing up and while he was studying. He cherished every day on the job and the footy field with him.

He was coached by his dad all through juniors and is only at the beginning of his promising career, having become a senior regular at Newtown & Chilllwell over the past three years.

Connor won’t be taking the field this week for the Eagles’ last game, but he is determined to make his father proud every time he steps over the white line.

“Dad and I did everything together and I worked with him for many years, I played footy and he’s always coached me. We do everything together, along with my sister, Paige. We always go for kicks, go shopping, just do whatever together so we are always a tight-knit family and we did everything together,” Connor said.

“I want to do everything I can to continue on his legacy, he has got big boots to fill and I’ve always been told that dad’s the greatest player in the GFL.

“He was the best dad you could ask for, he was humble, a caring person.

“There is no one tougher than him, he is the strongest person I know. “

The Fopiani family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from those who were touched by him – even those who had met him just a handful of times.

For Sylvia, the loss of her husband is “heartwrenching”.

“Just can’t believe that this has happened basically, and I don’t know how we are going to live without him,” Sylvia said.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better husband even if I tried, he was just everything.

“He was just really family orientated.

“It is nice to see how many people he touched, how many people loved him and how much of an impact he made within the community. Not just for us, but for everybody. He is pretty awesome.”

Like the Fopiani family, the local footy community is in disbelief and heartbroken.

Black armbands are sure to commemorate Fopiani across the local footy landscape in Geelong this weekend.

Former North Shore star Glenn Keast, who played in six-straight premierships with Fopiani, said it was a difficult time for those that knew him.

Connor Fopiani and Frank in 2021. Picture: Alison Wynd

“I think a lot of people are shocked and a bit numb. It is hard to know what to say and obviously sent messages to the family to get around each other,” Keast said.

“I’m sure at some point we will get around and celebrate him as a human being, but have had a few phone calls with a few different people over the last couple of days and everyone is doing it tough.

“The news from him getting cancer and not being with us is pretty quick and pretty tough for us all to get our head around.

“He was a tremendous person, one of those people that you come across who I can’t remember anyone ever saying a bad word about – whether they be friend or foe in terms of footy.

“Think he is clearly the best player I’ve seen and obviously played with, just wouldn’t consider anyone to be near him. I had a front-row seat for a period of time where we were able to work with him and play around him and myself and him played a lot of time in our midfield.

“Widely respected for his talent but certainly as much for the way he went about it and his nature. Obviously a fiercer competitor on the field but very fair and compassionate person that cared for lots of people.”

Originally published as Geelong local footy legend Frank Fopiani dies, aged 51