The mother of a slain Central Coast man has told a judge that her son's murder has left her family "festering" and "wounded" inside.
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Gregory Gibbins, 28, was fatally stabbed in the chest outside a pizza shop in Toukley in April 2015.
Bradley James Brooks, 22, was convicted in March of Mr Gibbins’ murder and the wounding of his friend Adam Swindell with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
In a victim impact statement in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Mr Gibbins' mother, Debbie, said "the night Greg's heart stopped beating, so did mine".
"I haven't stopped crying since the moment my son was taken from me," she said.
"We may smile at you but we are all festering, wounded people inside."
Barry Gibbins said his son "has gone to a place where angels are living", while his family has been left to suffer.
"How do I come to terms with a total stranger taking the life of my only son?"
Mr Gibbins was a hooker for the Wyong Roos, a feeder club to the Sydney Roosters.
"Rugby league came before everything else ... it was his first love. He lived and breathed footy," Barry Gibbins said.
His son and Mr Swindell were attacked while escorting a woman, Amber Pellizzon, who had asked for help after being harassed by a group of men.
Brooks walked up to them, pulled a pocket knife out of his pants and attacked Mr Gibbins.
Brooks and his younger brother Joel then chased Mr Swindell who was seriously injured.
Outside court, Mr Gibbins' twin sister Jenna told journalists that "even though we might get a sentence it will never be over for us".
"We're the ones with the life sentence," she said.
Brooks is due to be sentenced on June 23.