"We'll be receiving the manuhira that will come to pay their respects and this will go on till Thursday. There's quite a few people that have come through so far," Russell Kemp's cousin Kim Phillips said yesterday.
Mr Kemp said his grandson lived with him while working and studying through distance learning for a science degree in sports and fitness.
He said Jordan's dedication towards rugby, particularly his training and gym work, was unwavering.
"A brave young fella. If I ever went to war, I'd like Jordan beside me because I know he'd die for me," said Mr Kemp, himself a famed rugby player and coach of yester years.
Mr Kemp, Jordan's sisters Crishla and Michaela and other family members were at Kensington Park on Saturday to watch him play and everyone was having fun until Jordan went down, Mr Kemp said.
"He went down and stayed there for too long and it concerned me. I became worried but you couldn't do anything because there were medical people around who attended to him."
Jordan had just begun work at a local water factory in Kaiwaka and was supposed to do late shift this week. He had also bought a car with the help of a local garage and Mr Kemp thanked both businesses for giving the young lad an opportunity in life.
On rugby, he said: "He had the commitment because he trained every night of the week. I wanted to give him the chance (to play) that I had, an opportunity that my parents gave me back then."
On whether players should wear protective head gear, Mr Kemp said discussions on the subject were needed with rugby and medical experts but thought head gear could only be better for the game.
Jordan's Otamatea Hawks have decided to play Hora Hora as planned this week - a decision Mr Kemp fully agrees with, saying his grandson would have wanted the match to go ahead.
He has predicted a big funeral and thanked everyone for their help and support during what he described as a "very difficult time" for his family.
Staff at Kauri Springs New Zealand Ltd in Kaiwaka, where Jordan worked part-time as a floor assistant, organised a condolence gathering on Monday.
Administration and logistics manager Vaughan Evans said in the three weeks that Jordan had worked at the company he had made a big impression.
"He was a neat young man, not like a normal 17-year-old, he had his goals, his life sorted. A pleasant person to deal with," he said.
Mr Evans said the mood at the company on Monday was "very down in the dumps".
