Former rugby league star Scott Dureau has died at the age of 39 after a courageous battle with cancer, his former club Catalans Dragons confirmed on Monday. The half-back, who played for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League, had been fighting the disease since 2013.
Cancer Battle and Retirement
Dureau's health issues first emerged in 2013 while playing for the Dragons, when he underwent surgery to remove a tumour from behind his eye. He retired from rugby league in 2015. However, in 2018, he was told the tumour had returned and spread to his liver, with doctors giving him just 18 months to live. Remarkably, he was given the all-clear in 2023, but was later diagnosed with brain cancer again.
Tributes from the Rugby League Community
The Catalans Dragons expressed their devastation in a statement: "A former iconic player of the club, Scott had been courageously battling cancer for several years. Beyond being an exceptional player, Scott was a man admired by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. His outstanding talent and achievements on the field, but above all his humility and kindness, will forever remain in our memories." The club added: "At this difficult time, Chairman Bernard Guasch and everyone at the Catalans Dragons send their deepest condolences to his wife Libby, his two daughters Imogen and Everly, his family, and all those who were close to him."
Career Highlights
Dureau began his NRL career with the Newcastle Knights in 2007, playing 42 games before moving to the Super League to join the Catalans Dragons in 2011. He played nearly 100 matches for the Dragons and had a brief loan stint with the Sydney Roosters before leaving the club in 2015. After retiring, he remained involved in rugby, working with the Knights' pathways programme and coaching their under-20s side, even after being told his illness was terminal in 2018.
