Ready or not, heaven has Tommy Raudonikis.
The rugby league great was farewelled on Friday at a private funeral for family and friends on the Gold Coast
On Monday, the public will pay respect to the man known as Tom Terrific during a memorial service at the SCG.
The 70-year-old was one of the game's greatest characters and after Raudonikis died of cancer last week, veteran coach Wayne Bennett ruefully pondered whether the afterlife would be ready for him.
"But they'll have to handle him," Bennett joked.
Fellow league luminaries Allan Langer and Wayne Lewis and swimming icon Dawn Fraser were among the mourners arriving at Sacred Heart Catholic Church for Raudonikis' service.
The larger-than-life ex-Western Suburbs and Newtown legend lost his long battle with cancer last Wednesday, prompting an outpouring of grief in the rugby league community.
Raudonikis played 201 first grade games for the Magpies across 11 seasons, nine of them as club captain, before joining Newtown in 1980, playing 37 games over three seasons - including the 1981 grand final as captain.
A tough halfback, Raudonikis represented NSW on 24 occasions and played 29 times for Australia in Tests and World Cup matches - twice as captain.
His coaching career featured two years in charge of the NSW State of Origin team.
