Jay Lasscock ''epitomised toughness'' for the Queanbeyan Blues and the 600 people who farewelled him yesterday showed the respect he had earned on and off the field.
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Nine days after the Blues captain died, Lasscock's funeral was held at St Raphael's Church in Queanbeyan.
All of the seats inside were filled and about 200 people stood outside for the 90-minute service.
It was a fitting way to say goodbye to a player described as the backbone of the Blues and his teammates formed a guard of honour as his casket left the church.
And despite Lasscock never being a professional player, Raiders chairman John McIntyre said the crowd was the biggest he had seen at St Raphael's since Raiders founding father Les McIntyre's funeral in 2009.
''It was packed and that's a tribute to the kind of fella Jay was and the admiration he had,'' John McIntyre said. ''There were a number of other clubs represented there … it was an amazing scene with the number of young people there.
''But that in itself is probably the saddest thing about it.''
His teammates, Canberra Raiders Cup rivals, NRL players and colleagues came to farewell their mate.
Lasscock's mother, Deanne Vaughan-Lasscock, read the eulogy while his father-in-law, Robert Gardiner, read a tribute. He said the ''grief is deep and everlasting''.
As the casket left the church, Lasscock's Blues teammates lined the road with their Queanbeyan jerseys on - the club Lasscock had spilled blood for since he was a junior. His family was also at the Les McIntyre Medal dinner on Monday where wife Samantha was presented with Lasscock's representative jersey.
The Belconnen United Scholars will wear black armbands in the Canberra Raiders Cup grand final on Sunday and a donation bucket will go around Seiffert Oval to help raise money for Lasscock's family.
Canberra rugby league stalwart Phil Stonham was one of the pallbearers. He couldn't contain his emotions as he helped carry the casket from the church.
Lasscock was widely admired for his toughness on the field.
Just last month he dislocated his shoulder but was on the field a week later trying to help his side win an elimination final. Blues coach Adam Doyle had to bench Lasscock at half-time because the prop refused to take a backwards step.
Stonham and Lasscock played together for the Blues when Lasscock broke into first grade as a teenager.
''It's such a shame, he had so much potential and so much going for him,'' Stonham said.
''It's a big loss for the town. I played a lot of football with him, he epitomised toughness ever since he came into the team.
''He's always been the first to put his hand up on the field, he's the first to help off the field … if anyone needed something he was there.
''He would set up the junior ovals in the morning, he'd welcome new players … that's just the type of bloke he was.''
McIntyre said the rugby league community would rally around Lasscock's wife Samantha and children Cooper, Mia and Harper.
''[Seeing the crowd] would be as comforting as you could hope for them, it would bring out the pride for Jay,'' McIntyre said.