League fans will know him as the flame-hair kid with the impeccable tackle technique who lit up the GIO Schoolboys national final.
But teenager Brock Hamill, a Keebra Park State High and Southport Tigers graduate, signed to the Canterbury Bulldogs, has a fight on his hands.
The fight is with testicular cancer.
Diagnosed a few days before he was due to join the Bulldogs for pre-season training, Brock underwent surgery immediately.
Although he received the all-clear to eventually play for the Bulldogs' youth squad - scoring two tries and a man-of-the-match award in his first game of 2018 – the cancer resurfaced, having spread to his lymph nodes.
He is currently partway through 12 weeks of intensive chemotherapy where he has been unable to work, play or train.
The Gold Coast rugby league community and the Bulldogs have rallied around the young warrior, with a fund-raiser held last weekend in his honour at the Southport Tigers clubhouse.
Several Bulldogs players and officials flew north for the occasion, including head coach Dean Pay.
Hamill was last year a member of the Keebra Park team which beat Westfields Sports High for the national schoolboys title.
His team also included current Brisbane Bronco David Fifita and Queensland Under 18 representatives such as Tanah Boyd, Ioane Seiuli and Geordie Brand.
Setting the tone for the match, Hamill starred in several big tackles early in the match, including a devastating hit from the opening kick-off.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Brock and his family with medical expenses and loss of earnings through this difficult period.
To contribute go to: https://au.gofundme.com/help-brock-hammill-tackle-cancer
