There are players whose careers are remembered because of what they achieved on the field. There are others who are remembered because of the people they were.
Scott Dureau will be remembered for both.
As a footballer, Scott earned enormous respect throughout the game.
A proud Knight, player #199, he found himself stepping into one of the most difficult roles in rugby league when he followed the game’s greatest into the club's halves.
But Scott never tried to be anyone other than himself. He relied on the qualities that had taken him there in the first place: hard work, resilience, humility and self-belief.
Those qualities carried him far beyond Newcastle. His success with the Catalans Dragons made him one of the most respected players in Super League and earned him the love and loyalty of current Roosters Coach Trent Robinson.
Wherever his career took him, he left a lasting impression.
Yet for all he achieved in football, it is the way he lived his life away from the field that will leave the greatest impression on those who knew him.
For the past 13 years, Scott fought a battle with cancer that was both relentless and cruel. We can only imagine the physical and emotional toll that such a fight demands.
What made Scott remarkable was not simply that he endured it for so long, but how he endured it.
While facing challenges that would have consumed many people, Scott continued to invest in others. After his playing career ended, he returned to Newcastle in coaching and development roles, helping guide the next generation of Knights.
Even as he fought for his own future, he continued helping young people build theirs.
He remained optimistic when many would have been forgiven for losing hope.
He remained positive when life continually presented him with reasons not to be. Even when confronted with the most devastating news imaginable, his instinct was to focus on what he could still do rather than what had been taken away from him.
That’s why people gravitated towards Scott and teammates enjoyed being around him. Why coaches trusted him and friends sought him out.
He had a way of making people feel comfortable and valued, and he carried himself with a humility that made him universally loved and respected.
In a game full of strong personalities and strong opinions, it is difficult to think of anyone who ever had a bad word to say about Scott Dureau.
Scott should have had many more years ahead of him.
More years with his wife and daughters. More years with family and friends. More time to enjoy the life he fought so hard to preserve. But whilst his years were far too few, his impact was immeasurable.
He represented the blue and red with pride as a player, and he continued to serve the club long after his playing days were over.
More importantly, he represented the values that bind Knights Old Boystogether long after the final whistle: loyalty, humility, courage, resilience and genuine care for others.
Most of us will never face the challenges Scott faced.
Few of us could have met them with the same grace, strength and optimism.
Scott Dureau was a wonderful Knight, a courageous man, a devoted husband and father and one of the finest people our game has produced.
That is how he will be remembered.
Once A Knight. Always A Knight.
