Dragons forward Trent Merrin has paid tribute to the young player who was killed after being crushed by a tractor at a turf production company in southern NSW yesterday.

Blain Rozs, 19, was stacking rolls of turf when he was struck by an attachment to the vehicle and crushed at Turfco at Jasper’s Brush, north of Nowra.

Merrin posted a photo to Instagram of Rozs wearing the inconic Red V jersey, and expressed his shock at the young player’s death.

Trent Merrin tribute

“Thoughts and prayers go out to young Blaine Rozs family and friends taken from us way to early, may you rest in peace mate,” he wrote.

Sharks and NSW Origin skipper Paul Gallen, who was pictured with Rozs last year, also offered his condelences after Rozs’s death.

“Oh man life can be cruel lots of love to his family and friends and the dragons footy club. Shocking RIP,” he wrote in response to Merrin’s Instagram post.

media_camera Blaine Rozs was a member of the Dragons’ U20 squad this year.

Yesterday afternoon shocked teammates from his local club Berry Shoalhaven Heads Magpies were gathered at the pub to share their loss and grief.

The club’s junior president Ted Bowley, who coached Rozs last year, said his death will send shock waves through the rugby league community.

“He was a wonderful kid loved by a lot of people. This will impact everywhere. It is not just us as a town and a club it is the wider rugby league community.

“This is a horrible, horrible tragedy.”

media_camera The Dragons said they would offer counselling to players in the wake of Rozs’s death. Picture: Facebook media_camera Drtagons NYC head coach Ben Hornby said the club was ‘deeply saddened to be informed of the passing of Blaine’. Picture: Facebook

Rozs was a former graduate of the Illawarra Steelers SG Ball team and joined the Dragons NYC ranks ahead of last season.

He returned to his junior club during the off-season to continue playing in the local South Coast Group 7 competition.

A statement posted on the Dragons’ website said the club would provide assistance to members of both the 2014 and 2015 NYC squads to come to terms with Rozs’ tragic death.

Dragons NYC Head Coach Ben Hornby said: “The Dragons are deeply saddened to be informed of the passing of Blaine and our deepest sympathies go out to both his family and friends,” said

“He was a promising young prop who had a passion for rugby league and was a highly regarded and respected player and teammate.

Team mate Jackson Bramley wrote on Facebook that the football club would not be the same without their favourite player.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the late Blaine Rozs http://t.co/a2gMklj5Y9 #redv — The Dragons (@NRL_Dragons) December 1, 2014

media_camera Paramedics were called to the property but the 19-year-old died at the scene.

“We have tragically lost a teammate and brother today. An extremely talented footy player and an even better bloke. Condolences to all his family and friends. This is a tragic loss.”

Magpies president Gavin Rogers, who was also Mr Rozs’ employer at Turfco, was too devastated to speak.

WorkCover are now investigating the death.

A WorkCover spokesperson said an inspector had visited the site and commenced an investigation.

“Preliminary enquiries indicate the worker and a colleague were using a tractor to stack rolls of turf when the 19-year-old received fatal crush injuries after being hit with the tractor’s attachment.”

A report will be prepared for the coroner.