Clubs pay respect to "champion bloke"

Tributes have flowed for the 24-year-old from across the rugby league spectrum with former Blues coach Adam Doyle recalling a fearless leader who never took a backward step on the footy field.

“It’s absolutely terrible, absolutely tragic,” Doyle said of Lasscock’s passing. “He was a champion bloke and I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

Those sentiments were shared by Queanbeyan Kangaroos coach Aaron Gorrell who was also a teammate of Lasscock’s in last year’s ACT representative side.

“[Jay] was the kind of bloke who left an imprint on anyone he had anything to do with,” Gorrell said. “He was just a genuine bloke, very easy to get along with and he’s going to be sadly missed by a lot of people.

“I’ve only known him for a few years but I had a little bit to do with him off the field as well and always enjoyed his company so it’s just come as a complete shock.”

Lasscock’s incredible commitment was on show in the Blues’ recent finals campaign after the prop returned to the field just one week after dislocating his shoulder in a bid to help bolster the side’s title hopes.

Despite reinjuring the same shoulder early in the match, Lasscock toiled on until half-time before Doyle was forced to call him from the field.

Both Doyle and Gorrell spoke of a player with the potential to have taken his game to the highest level and who had harboured dreams of joining the ranks of the National Rugby League.

“I played with him last year in the rep side and obviously played against him a few times over the past three years and he was always a real competitor,” Gorrell said. “He was one of the best forwards in the local comp.

“I think he was a bit above country footy level and was probably one of those blokes who just needed to be given a crack at a higher level and he’d have done well.”