Southern Suburbs Tigers and Toowoomba Junior Rugby League pay tribute to 10-year-old Jaxon Gilmartin who lost battle with brain tumour

Souths Tigers are mourning an amazing 10-year-old, who played like an ‘old school’ prop, after he lost his year-long battle with a brain tumour. Read all about Jaxon Gilmartin here.

Southern Suburbs Tigers juniors are mourning the passing of Jaxon Gilmartin who lost a year long battle with a brain tumour recently. Jaxon’s favourite player Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (pictured right) visited him during his stay in hospital.

Jaxon Gilmartin will forever be remembered as a young man with the heart of an ‘old school’ rugby league player.

Southern Suburbs Tigers and the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League community are mourning the loss of the 10-year-old prop who died after a year-long battle with a brain tumour last week.

“It’s a really hard loss for the club, for everyone,” Jaxon’s coach Matt Gainey said.

“We’re all at a loss really, it’s hard to describe what everyone is feeling.

“No parent should have to go through this so we’re just trying to do what we can for his parents, brothers and sisters just like we do for every Tigers family – especially over the last year.

“We will always do whatever we possible can to support each other.

“We are family club that focuses on the person, the kids first, rugby league is the bonus in our book.”

Jaxon Gilmartin played like an old school prop but his favourite player was Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. The Dolphins and Queensland Maroons star visited Jaxon while he was in hospital.

Jaxon’s battle began last year with a series of excruciating headaches.

Doctors discovered a mass in his brain and he was immediately flown to Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital to undergo a series of major surgeries.

This weekend Tigers juniors will pay special tribute to Jaxon when they retire his number 10 jersey for the weekend and hold a minute’s silence before his now under-10 teammates take to the field against Highfields Eagles.

Gainey, who coached Jaxon last year, said he was typical kid with a real passion for footy.

“He absolutely loved his footy,” he said.

“Every kid loves their footy but Jaxon lived and breathed it.

“I always have little chuckle when I think about him – he was a young kid but a real old school player.

“A tough little bugger, quite physical. A strong front rower who ran and tackled hard.

“He was a real credit to his parents as well.

“He was so easy to coach, always listened, never played up and was just a great young kid.”

Souths seniors have rallied behind Jaxon’s family with a number of player donating their match fees to support them in their time of need.

Both the junior and senior clubs will also continue to fundraise over the coming and anyone interested in donating to the cause can contact the Tigers through social media.