THE Parramatta Eels will wear jerseys embroidered with the name of their "bravest fan", Oscar Buhagiar, after the five-year-old lost his battle with cancer on Monday night.
Parramatta are mourning the loss of their young supporter who fought a two-year battle with Neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Oscar was well-known to league fans after he took delivery of the NRL premiership trophy from Darren Lockyer and Hazem El Masri at last year's grand final.
Parramatta's players will wear the special jerseys as a tribute when they take on the Wests Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday night.
The jerseys will be auctioned after the match to raise funds for the Buhagiar family, while the club and the NRL have each donated $5,000.
The players will also wear black armbands in front of the family, who will be watching from a box donated by the Tigers.
Oscar's battle did not stop him from donning his Kellyville Bushrangers jersey and playing for his local club.
Eels forward Nathan Hindmarsh, who forged a close friendship with Oscar and his family throughout the illness, said he was deeply saddened by Oscar's death.
"He was an amazing little kid, he was always smiling," Hindmarsh said.
"He was a cheeky little bugger who was loved by his parents.
"He fought so hard throughout his illness and his parents are so proud of him."
