Iconic Melburnian Shane Warne playing for NSW seems wrong, but influential Cricket Victoria figure Shaun Graf has revealed it almost happened.
Universally adored in the city of Melbourne, Warne, who died on Friday aged 52, considered a move north to Sydney in search of greater opportunities early in his legendary career.
Graf has recalled the ambitious legspinner was growing tired of being left out of Victoria's Sheffield Shield team.
"We nearly lost him to the New South Wales, we had to do a lot of quick talking to keep him," Cricket Victoria's outgoing performance manager told RSN on Monday.
"He was struggling to get a game for Victoria, he hadn't done a lot, but in those days we tended to play a lot of quicks.
"Because we had Merv (Hughes), (Paul) Reiffel, (Damien) Fleming and those guys, we didn't really have spots for a couple of spinners.
"He was considering going to NSW because he had done well in an Australia A tour and the Waughs knew him and he obviously ended up being great mates with Mark Waugh.
"They were very keen to get him to NSW, they could see the potential in him.
"I had to talk to him to stay on, he'll get a game on, keep his powder dry, you'll get a chance.
"Fortunately he did get that chance and the rest is history."
Warne's death continues to reverberate around the world, with tributes continuing to flow for the charismatic larrikin, who is arguably Australia's second-greatest cricketer after Sir Donald Bradman.
The statue of Warne at the MCG remains a shrine, with fans having left everything from flowers and cards to stubbies of beers and cans of baked beans.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday confirmed Warne's family had accepted the government's offer of a state funeral.
A date and venue for the funeral will be confirmed after Warne's body arrives back in Australia from Thailand, where he died.
The Great Southern Stand at the MCG will officially be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand in his honour.
