THE Riverland community is mourning the death of one of its finest exports, South Australian football legend Neil Kerley.

Barmera-born Kerley died tragically in a crash near his Walker Flat home late yesterday, when the Toyota station wagon and trailer he was driving crashed through a fence into a paddock.

Since news of his untimely death surfaced last night tributes have been flowing for the 88-year-old, who was a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame, and was also an AFL Hall of Famer.

Before progressing to an outstanding SANFL playing and coaching career, Kerley – known as ‘Kerls’ or ‘Knuckles’ – lived in Loveday and played junior football for Barmera-Monash in the late 1940s. With wife Barbara in town, he returned to the club last year for its centenary celebrations, and had the big crowd in stitches with rollicking tales of his footballing days.

Alongside him at the centenary celebrations was long-time friend and fellow Barmera product Hallett Shueard, whose sister, Cobdogla woman Rosemary Gower, was among the first to learn of the accident and later recounted his local connection.

“Neil lived at Loveday as a boy because his father worked as a guard at the Loveday Internment Camp,” Ms Gower said.

“The first time I met Neil was when he came up to approach Hallett and Mum and my stepfather Tom regarding Hallett signing up for the Glenelg Football Club.

“I have caught up with Neil a number of times over the years because he was a proud Loveday boy and came back for the Loveday reunion.

“He was a great mate with (the late) Ron Millington (Sr).

“I can imagine Ron welcoming Neil to the other side. They will have a lot of catching up to do, and will be sharing some very funny stories. RIP Neil.”

Kerley’s list of footballing achievements is extraordinary, as is his respect among the South Australian footballing community.

Quickly earning a reputation as a fearsome competitor, he was a star for West Adelaide in the 1950s and early 1960s, and was captain-coach in the Bloods’ 1961 premiership victory.

After leaving Westies, he famously took South Adelaide from bottom to top in 1964 – still the Panthers’ most recent premiership year.

He later played for Glenelg and racked up 32 games for South Australia, eventually tallying 265 games between 1952 and 1969.

After retiring as a player, he continued his coaching career in a non-playing capacity with Glenelg, West Torrens, Central District and West Adelaide, winning flags with the Tigers and the Bloods. Overall, he coached five SANFL clubs and landed four flags.

Barmera-Monash vice-president Mark Henwood this morning described Kerley as a “lovable larrikin” and said he was greatly respected around the club.