There was not a spare seat to be found as Birdsall Fa'apepele's loved ones crammed into the pews at the Mackay Magistrates Court today.
Coincidentally, it was a year to the day the 25-year-old football player was allegedly murdered in a Paget caravan park.
Bricklayer Steven Dean Walker-Ely is accused of stabbing Mr Fa'apepele in the neck, face and abdomen.
The court previously heard Mr Walker-Ely allegedly phoned triple-zero, told police he had stabbed someone and waited until help arrived.
Mr Walker-Ely is residing in New South Wales under strict bail conditions imposed by the Supreme Court.
No pleas have been entered, but today in the Mackay Magistrates Court the case was listed for a full committal halfway through next year.
The court heard three of the witnesses would appear via video link and the others would testify in person.
Mr Fa'apepele's former girlfriend Kailey Prouse was among those who waited hours to hear the mention.
All Mr Fa'apepele's loved ones, bar Ms Prouse, wore matching T-shirts with white angel wings and bearing the name "Bird" and the number three, representing his position with the Mackay Magpies Rugby League Club.
'We're his Mackay family'
Outside the courthouse Ms Prouse's father, Ben Prouse, told the ABC that the wait for answers had been incredibly painful.
"Birdsall was taken away from us, tragically, 12 months ago today," he said.
"There's still so many questions that we don't know, and that's what's hard."
Mr Prouse said the supports would see the court process through to ensure Mr Fa'apepele had "a voice".
"We're his Mackay family," he said.
"It's the right thing to do."
Mr Prouse hoped there would be some answers at the full committal next year.
"I'm sure it's going to be hard for for everyone, especially Kailey," Mr Prouse said.
Mr Prouse, along with Mr Fa'apepele's other loved ones, will be retracing the 25-year-old's last steps tonight at a vigil along Broadsound Road to mark the anniversary of his death.
Ms Prouse and her family will also be visiting Mr Fa'apepele's family in New Zealand this week to unveil a headstone.
