ESSENDON premiership player Merv Neagle has been killed in a truck accident in country New South Wales.

He died on Thursday morning when the prime mover he was driving crashed into an orchard.

The 54-year-old was at the wheel of a grain truck towing two trailers when he lost control at around 10.20 in the morning at Tharbogang, just north of Griffith.

"Though a series of s-bends the driver has lost control of vehicle, and crossed onto the incorrect side of the roadway and continued through an orchard," Inspector Kim Traynor from Griffith local area command told AFL.com.au.

"As a result the driver was trapped in the cabin. Ambulance and police rescue attended and the driver was confirmed deceased by ambulance at the scene."

In a statement, Essendon said the club was "deeply saddened" by Neagle's death.

Bombers teammate and premiership captain Terry Daniher said Neagle would be dearly missed.

"It’s certainly a sad day and our condolences go out to the family on what is a very tough day for them. All his close mates and his teammates at the Essendon Football Club are shocked to hear the sad news," Daniher said.

"He was a terrific hard-running player on the wing for us, who gave us his all and had the tenacity to run all day without a spell.

"He was a great mate who loved a beer and loved to be around his teammates.

"He was just a good bloke."

Neagle played 147 games with Essendon, including the 1984 premiership, before joining the Sydney Swans in 1986, where he appeared in another 56 matches.

A brilliant wingman from Dimboola, he represented Victoria in 1980, 1981 and 1985, was runner-up in the 1980 Brownlow Medal to Footscray's Kelvin Templeton, and finished fourth in the Brownlow in 1981.

Neagle missed the Bombers' 1985 premiership with a leg injury.

His son Jay was drafted as a father-son recruit by Essendon, and played 28 games and kicked 41 goals between 2007 and 2010.

Another son, Jydon, 17, is a member of Essendon's father-son nursery the James Hird Academy and plays with the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup.

Neagle is survived by his wife and five children, Jay, 24, Jydon 17, Nathan, 16, Matthew,14, and Jaxon, 12.

After retiring from League football, Neagle coached at grassroots clubs across the nation, including Merbein and Sale in Victoria, Balranald, North Albury and Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes in NSW, St Mary's in Darwin and Mount Barker in Western Australia.

He was coaching Walla Walla in the Hume League in southern NSW this season, having moved there because it was where his wife, Donna, grew up.

On arrival, Neagle secured work as a truck driver with Hehir's Transport, a business based in nearby Rand.

Walla Walla Football Club committee members then pressured him to take over as senior coach. Neagle accepted the challenge, although his busy work schedule made it tough.