Yarrawonga loses much-loved 1989 premiership coach Neil Davis

Neil Davis passed away on Saturday night after battling long-time health issues. He was 69.

"He was a terrific fellow, he was always going to be a leader, he always had the confidence of people around him," former Yarrawonga president Glenn Brear said of the life member.

Davis was inducted into the league Hall of Fame in 2008, playing 162 matches in a variety of positions, including full-forward and centre half-back, while he also captained his beloved Pigeons in 1979.

But it was his ability to transform a club with no coach less than two months out from the 1989 season which is O and M folklore.

Five-time best and fairest Les 'Salty' Parish had quit after a disagreement with the club as the Pigeons launched a massive search for his replacement.

"We were a disorganised rabble there in January-February, we were having no more than a handful at training," Brear said.

"It was probably a stroke of genius that we went from within with Neil and got a coach that had coached a lot of the thirds (under 18) boys and our reserves' side was very good in 1988."

The club recruited Finley star Damian Sexton, who would play at St Kilda the next year, and promoted a number of reserves' premiership players, such as Tom Runnalls and Chris McNamara.

The Pigeons faced Benalla in their first practice game.

"We had no idea what was going to happen and, low and behold, by the end of the year we had won the flag," Brear said.

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The win over Wodonga was only the Pigeons' second premiership after joining the league in 1929 and snapped a 30-year drought.

"And just to show you what sort of fellow he was, the Monday after the grand final, he went to work and by lunchtime the boss said, 'go home mate and enjoy the celebrations'," Brear said.