A YOUNG father, brother, friend and teammate has been remembered as "one of the kindest souls" after suffering a fatal injury during a local rugby league game on the weekend.
Tributes are flowing and a fundraising page has been set up for the Aberglasslyn Ants player, identified publicly only by his jersey number out of respect for his grieving family, after he was seriously hurt during a match at Fingal Bay on Saturday afternoon.
The man, aged in his 20s, was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital but has since died.
The Hunter sporting community has been rocked by the sudden death, with thousands of messages of support and heartbreak flooding social media.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for those who wish to help his family in the wake of the player's death, with more than $3200 raised in just the first few hours.
"This gives you all an opportunity to put in for your beloved football champion," the organiser wrote.
The Aberglasslyn Ants gathered at the club's home ground, McKeachies Sportsground, at sunset on Sunday to retire jersey number eight, worn by the front rower, for the rest of the season.
"We remember you as a friend, a brother, a father and simply one of the kindest souls in our club," a statement read.
Windale's junior rugby league club pledged not to play number eight jerseys at games this weekend out of respect for the young man and his family.
Rugby league clubs and sporting organisations from across the Hunter and further afield shared their condolences, love and support as the news spread.
Hearts were breaking at Maitland's Western Suburbs Senior Rugby League Club, a public post said.
"This unimaginable loss affecting our small, local community is at the front of our hearts and our minds," the post said.
"It sits as a knot in our guts and a lump in our throats that feels impossible to swallow as we all sit with the fact that someone who was young, fit and strong, and so loved, is now gone."
"We are thinking of those affected, especially the family of this young man, and the brave first responders who did all they could for him.
"We are sorry for your loss, and we are with you during this hard time."
Ants members and close friends were united in their devastation as they took to social media to pay tribute to "B.P." and "#8".
"No one deserves to not walk off that field, no matter the grade, age or level," a friend wrote on social media.
Another wrote that anyone who had worn the Ants jersey knew "how tight this club is".
"Such an amazing supportive club ... you will always be remembered B.P.," a friend posted.
The 'Support for Ackers #8 - The James Ackerman Legacy' Facebook page was set up after 25-year-old James Ackerman died days after a tackle during a rugby league game in Queensland in 2015.
"It's heartbreaking to know another family is going through the pain of losing someone on the footy field," a post from the page read.
"Sending all our love, prayers and support to Aberglasslyn RLFC, players, community and the family of the player who was taken from them on the weekend."
A spokesperson for Newcastle and Hunter Community Rugby League said it was fully supporting the Aberglasslyn club.
NSW Rugby League confirmed the young man's family, teammates and the wider rugby community would be supported through this challenging time.
Ambulance paramedics rushed to a Rocky Point Road football field at Fingal Bay about 3.30pm on Saturday in response to the serious on-field incident, before calling on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter as well.
"At the scene paramedics attended to a man with a head injury who was unconscious," an Ambulance NSW spokesperson said.
The man was airlifted to hospital in Newcastle but sadly could not be saved.
The shocking death came at a time the sporting community was still grappling with the horror wedding bus crash at Greta on June 11, which claimed the lives of several Aussie rules players from the Singleton Roosters.
To donate to the player's fundraising page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-help-raise-money-for-aberglassyn-ants-champion.
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