Forever with Sharks
DOCTOR Alan Mackenzie has appropriately been laid to rest where he created so much magic and joy for generations – across the field at Fankhauser Reserve.
Hundreds of family, friends, medical colleagues and Aussie rules players and staff, from all over the country, gathered at Allambe Gardens, Nerang on Thursday to pay their respects.
Many more then attended a celebration of Dr Mackenzie’s life at Southport Sharks, where he spent 49 years as president.
Dr Mackenzie died last week at home after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 75.
Players and staff formed a guard of honour on the field as Dr Mackenzie’s wife Jo-ann and other family members spread his ashes in the middle of the ground.
“He was such a great leader. We had Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, Napoleon (Bonaparte), Winston Churchill and then we had Doc,” former Sharks captain Zane Taylor said in front of an audience so big it spilt beyond the chapel.
“If the word was out that Doc was gathering his army, I’d walk a thousand miles over broken glass to be by his side and pull that sword one more time and go to battle.”
Southport CEO Dean Bowtell spoke glowingly of Dr
Mackenzie who oversaw 22 of the club’s 25 premierships.
“He was an intelligent, humble and selfless man,” Mr Bowtell said.
“He didn’t need to dominate conversations or reflect on his achievements. He was a prolific reader and well versed on any subject matter discussed at either the bar or boardroom.”
Dr John Wilson worked alongside Dr Mackenzie at the Chevron Renaissance Medical Centre and said his death had
rocked all those who knew him.
“His loss has been devastating for all of us. He made an enormous contribution to many thousands of patients and cared for generations of local families.”
Inaugural Suns CEO and AFL head of finance, clubs and broadcasting, Travis Auld flew to the Gold Coast from Melbourne to pay tribute to the man he credited with opening the door for his chance to lead Gold Coast.
“One of my great lessons from Doc was that the more you listen, the less you speak and when you speak it is far more powerful,” Mr Auld said.
“I stayed in contact with him (after going to the AFL). He would often, generally through text or email, give me his views on things.”
The attributes of a quiet, calm, intellectual man with a passion for footy and family and a determination to succeed were the ones that resonated with a room full of some
of Queensland’s biggest footy identities, including past players and AFL Queensland staff.
Dr Mackenzie’s death means all three of Southport’s “game changers” – including Gerry Carmody and Wally Fankhauser – have passed.
“We are here and they are somewhere else but Gerry, Wally and Doc are all together doing what they do best,” former QAFL chairman Darryl Bray said.
“I can assure you Doc is still the chairman of selectors.”