COLLINGWOOD Football Club royalty was among more than 600 mourners who farewelled former Magpie great Bill Picken in Hamilton on Thursday.
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Picken's nephew Jonathan Brown, Collingwood champions Peter Moore, Brian Taylor, Wayne Richardson and Denis Banks plus former club president Eddie McGuire, VFL stars Mark Maclure and Val Perovic were among those gathered.
Moore told mourners Picken, who died suddenly on July 23 aged 66, was a Collingwood legend.
"Bill loved people and people loved Bill," the two-time Brownlow Medallist said.
"He was a magnificent mark of the ball and was an attacking defender who had the ability to play with injuries but still put in 100 per cent in his games.
"Bill's football went to another level when Tom Hafey took over as coach. Tom got Bill and the rest of the players from that era super fit. Tom just loved Bill as a person and Collingwood footballer."
McGuire said Picken was his favourite player as a child growing up.
"I idolised Bill as a player when I was a youngster," McGuire said.
"He was a sensational mark and a champion person. Bill made the Collingwood team of the century. I think that shows what regard he was held in as a Collingwood footballer."
Picken's coffin left the Chevalier Centre at Monivae College where he was a former student to the sounds of the Collingwood theme song.
Picken played 212 games for Collingwood after debuting in 1974 before going on to play in 21 finals which included five losing grand finals and saw him win the Copeland Trophy for the best player at the club twice and finish third in the 1977 Brownlow Medal.
Picken is survived by his wife Julie and children Marcus, Sean, Briana and Liam plus eight grandchildren and his mother Gwen and brother Darren.
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