Border sporting product Andrew Maggs has lost his battle with cancer

"He was always that bloke when he was going in for that 50-50 ball, you knew that he was going to give it everything, he was just never going to give up," former hockey team-mate Tony Donnolley recalled.

Andrew never gave up either when diagnosed with bowel cancer in April, 2019. Unfortunately, he lost his battle on Sunday, November 7. He was 39.

Andrew had grown up on the Border, but moved away a few years ago to take up a position at Maryborough Golf Club.

Laddie Bardy had watched him grow up playing representative hockey with his son Matt and he also coached Andrew with the region's top level side, the Spitfires.

"He'd always make a point of coming and having a chat when he was back in town, he could be chatting with a mate, but he'd always make a point of coming over and saying hello, I always found that to be the sign of a true gentleman," he praised.

And there's every chance he would be talking to a mate.

"You go anywhere with Andrew, whether it's at hockey or cricket, and he knew everyone, he had time for anybody," Magpies' Hockey Club president Ben Hawkins offered.

Plus, he had ripping yarns.

"He was one of those addictive people you want to be around," Donnolley explained.

"He was always telling a story, making people laugh, he would tell them with that much expression, it was hard not to laugh at the story and at him."

Andrew played state level hockey and also represented Victoria Country, so you don't reach that level without a strong desire.

"The calm, polite person you see off the field, he became a fierce competitor on the field, he was going to do whatever he could to help his team win," Donnolley revealed.

Andrew showed the same passion in golf and cricket.

"I would call him the perfect team-mate, it was more about the team success than himself," former Lavington cricket captain Steve Wright remembered.

"He was an opening bat and was never the most talented player in the team, but his role was to take the shine off the new ball.

"If you wanted him to field at short leg, he'd jump in there under the helmet.

"He was just one of those blokes that everyone loved."

That love was replicated when the sporting community discovered the extent of Andrew's battle and his junior club in Magpies organised a cocktail party and auction in July, 2019.

It was also Andrew's chance to say, 'thank you'.

"Andrew was a fullback (in hockey), and he'd love to hear this, but if we were up in a game and he got the opportunity to sneak forward, next minute, 'Maggsy' would be standing next to you with a big grin on his face, saying, 'I've got this'," Donnolley laughed.

"Before games he would let everyone know we were mates, brothers, and we'd do anything to help each other, and he also wanted to continue that family feeling off the field.

"I just want to get across how influential he was for myself and other young blokes coming through (as Tony becomes emotional).

"I think that's why so many people are finding it hard that he's actually not going to be there."

The Maggs family is synonomous with hockey in Albury-Wodonga.

"Andrew is part of the Maggs hockey family to whom all of us are indebted for some 70 years of service that Andrew, his brother Jeremy, dad Ross and mum Janne have in turn coached, played and managed and been leaders at team, club and association level," Hockey Albury-Wodonga president Bert Eastoe said.

The service to celebrate Andrew's life has been dubbed 'Maggsy's Last Party'.

It will be held on the fourth fairway at Maryborough Golf Club on Wednesday from 1pm.

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Andrew is survived by his wife Josephine and their sons Samuel and Leo, plus his mum Janne and dad Ross, as well as siblings Jeremy and Christopher and extended families.

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