Pat Allen, who helped AFL stars Chris Judd and Brendan Fevola deal with injury, dies at the age of 86

A famed country medic who has treated the likes of Chris Judd, Brendan Fevola and Cam Mooney is being remembered as one of our great healers from the bush.

Pat Allen, a sports & manipulative therapist, in his home at Donald in 2007. He recently died at the age of 86.

The population of Donald could triple next Monday as the sporting community pays tribute to Pat Allen, the man with the magic hands.

Allen died earlier this week, aged 86, after a long and distinguished career helping clubs and sports stars deal with injuries as a sports therapist.

Born and raised in Donald, Allen was a talented footballer in his own right, winning the 1963 premiership with the Royal Blues in the North Central league.

But it was off the ground where he rose to prominence helping everyone recover from injuries with his secret techniques.

Pat and his brother Leo ran their practice in the country town three hours from Melbourne, and would treat anyone from AFL stars to local footballers.

“He would have to have a unique record because he would have had a hand in the most premierships across a variety of leagues,” Donald president Danny Forrest said.

“It was always interesting talking to him when you get to August and asking him how many footy sides or teams he’s got going to win flags.

“He’d say there’s 35 this year or there’s 20.

“It was amazing the hand he had in getting players up for a tilt at a premiership, from the AFL to the country leagues.”

Allen helped some of the greats of the game including Cam Mooney, Brendan Fevola, Chris Judd and Nick Maxwell recover from debilitating injuries.

Pat Allen will be remembered as a legend in the town of Donald.

In a 2009 Herald Sun article he reported as being pivotal in fixing Judd’s osteitis pubis in just a couple of sittings.

Judd, at the time, travelled the world to fix his injury, but all it took was a meeting or two with Allen.

“I have been treating Juddy through Carlton but I am not sure whether he credits my treatment,” Allen said at the time.

“They are very appreciative. I do the Collingwood boys and Carlton as well so I had a double interest on Sunday.

“We get a lot of patients with osteitis pubis and our treatment is very successful. We normally cure that in about two visits. We are running at a 100 per cent success rate with osteitis pubis.”

The secret, which he later revealed in a video on him from One Week At A Time, focused on the nerves of the body to heal, rather than the tendons and ligaments.

His success led to clubs hiring him for his services.

Carlton, Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and North Melbourne all reached out.

“Pat describes how he used to go to the city and go to the clubs over the week,” Forrest said.

“When we used to have the Auskick (with AFL players in Donald) that was always factored in they go and see Pat (as well).”

But no matter how busy he got, Allen would still help his home town.

“It was well renowned and difficult to get an appointment to get in to see Pat,” Forrest said.

“But he always had his favourites and he looked after the locals really well.

“If we had players who needed extra attention he’d see them.”

In recent years, Allen worked in a reduced capacity as his health deteriorated.

Forrest said his loss would be felt hard by the Donald community.

“He certainly was (a legend),” Forrest said.

“It’s one of those ones where you hope legends live forever.

“He’s an absolute champion person, so well respected, he’ll be fondly remembered by everyone in the Donald community and far reaching across the whole country.

His death has had an outpouring of tributes from clubs across the state.

The Greater Western Victoria Rebels and Birchip Watchem have paid tribute to Allen.

“An art that is now lost,” the Rebels said.

“He was a true gentleman that will be sadly missed by many.”

Allen leaves behind his wife Nelia, his daughter Alyssa and brother and sister Leo and Kathleen.

“We’ve shared our lives these 41 many years,” Nelia Allen said.

“You’ve held my hand; you’ve held my heart.

“So many blessings, such a great journey with our daughter Alyssa, you made my dreams come true in so many ways, so few tears – yet for a moment, we must part.”

His funeral will be held on Monday December 2 at St George’s Anglican Church in Donald at 1.30pm.

Originally published as Pat Allen, who helped AFL stars Chris Judd and Brendan Fevola deal with injury, dies at the age of 86