North Melbourne and the AFL are rallying around the family of Ashlee Good following the new mother’s death in the Bondi Junction mass stabbing attack on Saturday.
The 38-year-old died at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney hours after she and her nine-month-old daughter were stabbed. The baby remains in a serious but stable condition.
Watch the video above: AFL coach chokes up in emotional tribute to Ashlee Good.
Stream analysis, local footy and the biggest moments free on 7plus
Good is the daughter of former Kangaroos player and board member Kerry, a Tasmanian Football Hall of Famer, and his first wife Denise.
North Melbourne president Sonja Hood said the club was “tremendously saddened” by Good’s death, saying she was “well known and loved by many” in its community.
Her father accepted the Kangaroos’ offer for their players to honour Good with black armbands for their game against Geelong on Sunday.
“Like all Australians, we were horrified to see the awful details coming out of Sydney on Saturday,” Hood said.
“To learn later that Ashlee and her daughter were victims in this tragedy really brings something like this close to home.
“Our thoughts and condolences go to all those impacted by the awful events, especially to Ashlee’s partner Daniel Flanagan, Kerry and Dian, Ashlee’s mother Denise, and Ashlee’s extended family and friends.
“Kerry and his family are incredibly important people in our club’s history and we offer them our love and support through what is an unimaginably difficult time.”
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson choked up in an emotional plea in a TV interview moments before the game.
“It’s shocking for our club and the Good family,” he said on Fox Sports.
“Kerry’s been a significant part of our club for a long time, it’s just so sad. Ashlee and that beautiful little girl, not going to have a mum — it breaks our hearts.
“What breaks our hearts even more is humanity, this is happening in our country. We’re going to get the same excuse … we’ve got to do something about it. There’s got to be a time where it just stops.
“The strange part about it, you get to the next day and all these boys (players) get to do what they just love and that’s been denied to Ashlee and five other families.
“Our hearts are pretty low today.”
Clarkson was embraced during the interview by Cameron Mooney, who began his career at North Melbourne in the late 1990s when Kerry Good was a board member.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon joined the Kangaroos in offering support to the Good family.
“I know so many people who know Kerry, and the family are hurting and the football world is united in its sympathy for the Good family and the many people across our North Melbourne and football community and the wider community who have been affected by this attack,” he said.
“You shudder when you hear the news on Saturday and find it hard to comprehend that an activity that is so normal and so common to every Australian family could end so tragically.”
Melbourne grand finalist and 250-game star Steve Febey mourned his close friend Ashlee on Sunday.
“Words fail me, absolutely shattered,” Febey wrote along a series of pictures of himself and Good together.
“Can’t comprehend how this could happen to the most amazing, beautiful and caring human. I will always cherish our friendship, five stars, and the great times we shared. Love ya forever Ash xx.”
The Good family issued a statement earlier on Sunday and confirmed Ashlee’s baby is “doing well”.
The nine-month-old was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick for emergency surgery and is in a serious but stable condition.
“Today we are reeling from the terrible from the terrible loss of Ashlee, a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human and so much more,” the family said.
“We appreciate the well wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl.”
The Australian sporting community is also rallying around horse racing and rugby league identity John Singleton and his family.
His daughter Dawn, 25, was identified as one of the victims on Sunday.