THE rugby league community across St Helens paid an emotional tribute to a nine-year-old junior player who died after battling a brain tumour.
As the Star reported last week, Joseph Doolan passed away after fighting a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) brain tumour since the age of seven.
The courageous schoolboy was a much-loved junior rugby league player with Thatto Heath Crusaders under 9s.
His parents, Amy and Ray, from Southport, say that Joseph showed people the real meaning of "strength and bravery".
On Sunday, dozens of junior rugby league teams held tributes, which included a period of silence or a minute's applause to Joseph, at grounds around St Helens and surrounding areas.
Junior players from Blackbrook, Pilkington Recs, Clock Face, Haresfinch and Thatto Heath, where Joseph played, were among those to join in.
Some senior and masters teams also paid tribute at their matches as the local community game sent a collective message of love to his family and the Thatto Heath club.
Teams have also been raising funds in Joseph's memory.
The youngster had a passion for rugby league, with his dad, Ray, formerly on Saints' books.
Last week Ray, 41, spoke to the Star about the outpouring of love shown by the St Helens and wider rugby league communities since Joseph’s diagnosis 18 months ago and following his passing earlier this month.
He said: “He absolutely loved rugby. I used to play for Saints and even though he played for a team in Southport where we live, he did a summer camp at Thatto Heath and never looked back really.
“We saw how much it meant to him to train there and be in St Helens where Saints are, so we made the effort and I’m so glad we did.
“After his diagnosis, he was told he couldn’t play rugby anymore, but he wasn’t having that.
“We knew he didn’t have long. We wanted to keep him safe but he just loved playing and he did do everything he could to get playing again and, like Amy said in her eulogy, on his first game back with Thatto Heath he scored 11 tries.
“I’m a private person really, but I feel OK talking about Joseph because even though it was horrible what he had to go through he was so strong and a little boy of nine taught so many people the real meaning of strength and bravery.
“He was my son and he’s my inspiration and to have the rugby league community pay tribute to him has meant so much.”
When Saints learned of Joseph and his story, they went above and beyond organising some incredible events for him.
One of Joseph’s favourite players, Konrad Hurrell, even travelled to the Doolan’s home in his own time to present Joseph with his playing shirt – a day Joseph described as being “better than Christmas”.
Saints’ coach Paul Wellens also paid tribute to the youngster's courage in his post-match press conference against Huddersfield.
In an eulogy delivered at Joseph's funeral earlier last week, his mum Amy described the immense courage her son displayed and how he was a boy grateful for the simple things in life.
She said: "Joseph completed his first course of radiotherapy at Clatterbridge. He quickly stole the hearts of the nurses who worked there as he educated them all about rugby and Star Wars and chose his playlist of his favourite songs to listen to whilst he had his treatment.
"He never once moaned or complained about the way he was feeling. At all of his check-ups he would always put his thumbs up to the doctors and say 'I’m good'. He just got on with it.
"He became known as ‘The Legend’.
"After he had finished his treatment and because he had been so brave me and his dad said to him 'you can have anything you want Joseph'.
"We said: 'We will take you to Smyths and you can pick whatever you like or if there is anywhere in particular you would like to go on holiday we will take you. What would you like?'
"Joseph thought about it for a minute and his answer was: 'I would just really like to go somewhere that has a nice log fire that I can sit by and have a nice cup of tea'.
"So that’s what we did, we booked a little cottage in the Cotswolds with a log fire and we have a lovely picture of Joseph stood by it enjoying his cup of tea.
"And again that was just Joseph he never wanted for anything big, he was always grateful for the simple things in life.
"Joseph once said to me: 'If you have a roof over your head, food on the table and a family that loves you, you have everything!'"
Amy described the family's pride when Joseph returned to play rugby with his team-mates after having radiotherapy, adding: "The doctors said that Joseph may not be able to play rugby again but following his radiotherapy Joseph said to us that he was missing rugby and wanted to go back playing it.
"Even though the side effects from the radiotherapy and his medication were affecting his mobility, balance and energy levels Joseph was determined to go back and play.
"He started to set himself little goals and aims and within three months he had gone from not being able to run at all to running laps around the sports field.
"He was determined and he wasn’t about to give up either!
"He went back playing rugby league, and even though he only managed to play about 6/25 games and he was playing post radiotherapy and with a brain tumour, in his first match back he scored 11 tries and statistically he still came out as one of the few top try scorers at the end of his second season.
"Because Joseph was well enough again for a period of time we were able to enjoy some lovely holidays and experiences together as a family.
"Joseph extended his life expectancy to 18 months. He always did his best and he did his best with this."
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