Iosefa remembered as a 'leader and inspiration' to many

Masada Iosefa was a "tough as nails" player who invested his all in making the youth of tomorrow not only better players, but better people overall.

The Samoan-born rake - who represented Penrith and the Wests Tigers in the NRL before moving to Rockhampton - tragically died in a quad bike accident near Darwin on January 25, leaving behind a rich legacy that will be honoured by his Central Queensland team mates this Saturday.

"He changed the landscape of our club," Emu Park president Jason Field said.

"Being a new, juvenile club, we were struggling... especially in seniors.

"Before he came to the club, we were potentially getting beaten by 60 to 80 points each week and then when he came on board, he instilled a lot in our youth and was working with them and I think we’ve seen the upshot of his labour, especially more recently with the winning of different carnivals and making the semi-finals in 2018.

"I think this year is going to be a big year for Emu Park and it would’ve been even bigger if he was here... but we’ve got a very, very strong junior contingent – boys who are around 18 and 19 - who he has mentored and supported during their junior days.

"If you also look at our women’s team, they’ve been highly successful and that’s had a lot to do with what he’s bought and instilled in those players and training those girls as well.

"He's definitely left a legacy with our club and his work will not only be seen this year but over the next couple of years as well."

The Emu Park captain's tragic passing was not only felt on the Capricorn Coast, but across the entire Central Queensland region as a senior member of the Rockhampton Rustlers. It was also felt across the greater rugby league community, who have been touched by his monumental contribution to the greatest game of all.

"I think the impact [of his passing] was felt across all levels of Rockhampton Rugby League and those who had played with him in the NRL," Field said.

"You only have to look at his [social media] pages and all the messages that have come in from people talking about what he did for them and what he did for the community, especially in Mount Druitt where he grew up.

"It showed to those boys down there that you can make it if you put the effort in and you only have to look at the NRL now with Penrith that there’s a lot of boys that are coming out of that region.

"He was definitely a leader and inspiration to that region as well as ours."

Celebrating the life of the talented hooker in a memorial day this weekend, the club will also pay tribute to their inspirational leader by retiring all No. 9 jerseys and unveiling a mural in memory of the rich legacy he's left behind.

"We’ve retired all No. 9 jerseys across the club and have presented those to his family," Field said.

"We’ve also had Bill Gannon who is a local artist painting a mural of Masada in our dressing shed along with some key quotes he had and some he said himself prior to running out on the field, so he’ll be with us for every home game.

"I think every home game when the boys run out, they’ll see Masada and want to play really well to represent him in that honour."

The memorial day will feature five games of rugby league at the Hartley Street Reserve, kicking off at 1.30pm.

Masada Iosefa memorial day

Saturday, March 6 at Hartley Street Reserve, Emu Park