A country schoolboy has died following a rugby league tackle.

Across Australia each weekend, kids head out to play sport. Parents watch from the sidelines with pride. But for one family from country NSW, a rugby league game has resulted in unimaginable tragedy.

Fifteen-year-old Lui Polimeni has died, following an on-field tackle.

Lui, who played for the Gundagai Tigers, collapsed after being tackled during an under-16 game on Sunday. He was flown to Canberra Hospital and had surgery to reduce pressure on his brain, but his condition deteriorated. Yesterday, his parents Gino and Jenny and brother Joey made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support.

“At 4.07 pm this afternoon Gino, Joey and I lost a huge part of our lives,” Jenny wrote.
“Luigi Gino Polimeni (Lui) (ponk).
Life will NEVER be the same again.

Our sincere thanks for your messages and prayers. We will need you all in our lives.
Xx”

"At 4.07 pm this afternoon Gino, Joey and I lost a huge part of our lives." Image via Facebook.

Earlier, Jenny had asked the Gundagai Tigers to post this tribute to Lui:

"Lui loved his footy.
Lui loved the Tigers.
Lui loved his mates and his team mates.
Lui gave his best every time he played."

The club's secretary-treasurer, Martin Hay, told the ABC it was "just a tragic accident".

"The club and the Polimeni family would like to extend their best wishes to the young footballer from Tumut who was involved in the tackle," he said.

"We want him to know that we want him to keep playing football and to walk around with his head held high. It was just a terrible, terrible accident."

Lui, from Jugiong, was playing his first season with the Gundagai under-16s. He was being tipped as a big prospect.

“He was a super footballer who was very fast, a very good defender and a great ball-player,” Hay told The Courier.

Lui was a student at Murrumburrah High School, where he was in Year 10. School principal John McFadyen described him as a “likable kid, who was adored and loved by everyone”.

Rugby league clubs and players across Australia have expressed their sadness.

“The hearts of the entire Rugby League community go out to Lui’s family and team mates today," NRL CEO Todd Greenberg tweeted. "You're in our thoughts & prayers.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Lui Polimeni from the Gundagai Tigers,” the Penrith Panthers tweeted. "Rest in peace."

"R.I.P. Lui Polimeni," rugby league commentator Andrew Voss wrote. "15 years of age. Loved his footy."

Featured image via Facebook.