'We cannot find the words': Tributes flow for former star player, premiership-winning coach Paul Green

The rugby league world is in mourning following the sudden death of premiership-winning Cowboys coach Paul Green, aged 49.

A former halfback who won the Rothmans Medal with Cronulla in 1995 as the competition’s best and fairest player, he made 162 top-grade appearances for the Sharks, Cowboys, Eels, Roosters and Broncos in a high-level career from 1994-2004.

Green was due to celebrate his 50th birthday a month from tomorrow. His family released a statement on Thursday to say they were devastated with his passing.

“We have lost a devoted husband, loving father and wonderful brother and son,” they said. “We cannot find the words that would come close to expressing our feelings, however we would like to extend our thanks to those who have reached out to us with their love and support.

“Our family is still trying to understand this tragedy and we request space and time as we come to terms with this loss. Thank you.”

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Green was linked to potentially coaching Wests Tigers at the end of last season and Wayne Bennett confirmed on Thursday he was to be offered an assistant role at the Dolphins next year.

“I wasn’t sure if he was coming, but we were in negotiations with him and I was pretty confident of Paul taking the job,” he told The Courier-Mail. “We got to the point of discussing salary, so we were in the final stages and Greeny was seriously considering taking the job.

After retiring as a player, Green became a successful coach, starting out at the Broncos, Queensland Cup and Roosters’ lower grades before taking over at North Queensland in 2014 and guiding the club to its only premiership in history the following season in the memorable Grand Final win over Brisbane in extra time.

His reaction in the coaches box at Sydney’s Olympic stadium, hugging his assistants with unbridled joy, when Johnathan Thurston slotted over the match-winning field goal to win the first golden-point Grand Final is an iconic moment in NRL history.

A colourful character who was intense as a coach, he pledged to ‘‘walk nude through Pitt Street’’ if the NRL could prove a contentious Kieran Foran try was legitimate in 2014 after a controversial loss to Manly.

Paul Green celebrates his finest moment as a coach, North Queensland’s 2015 Grand Final win with Johnathan Thurston. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

He also took North Queensland to the 2017 Grand Final which they lost to Melbourne after only just scraping into seventh spot with a win in the final round.

His former Roosters teammate Brad Fittler, who opposed Green as coaches at Origin level last year, was in awe of that finals effort five years ago.

“I thought 2017 was one of the greatest coaching efforts ever, bringing that team through and watching Michael Morgan and [Jason] Taumalolo get their team to a Grand Final [without Thurston and Matt Scott],” he said on Channel 9.

“But away from footy a good fella, great company, good fun. He’s gonna be sorely missed.”

The Cowboys paid tribute to their inaugural championship coach with a statement describing him as one of their “greatest contributors”.

“Paul first came to our club as a player in the late 90s and was the club’s first Origin representative, but his lasting legacy emanated from his seven-season tenure as head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys,” wrote chairman Lewis Ramsay. “Paul’s arrival as head coach transformed our club from finals contenders to an immediate premiership force, culminating in the historic 2015 Grand Final victory.

“We will forever remember Paul as one of the greatest contributors in Cowboys history.”

Green passed away suddenly at his Brisbane home on Thursday morning and a cause of death as yet unknown.

Queensland Police issued a statement to report they were called to his Wynnum house just after 10am.

“A 49-year-old was located unresponsive. He was declared deceased by emergency crews a short time later. There are no suspicious circumstances. A report will be prepared for the coroner.”

He has been regularly linked to a return to coaching at various NRL clubs this year. Green was in Sydney only last weekend for the Cronulla ex-players’ reunion.

Interviewed as he walked around Shark Park before the club’s win over the Dragons with a bunch of former teammates and fellow old boys, Green said: “It’s great to be back, it’s a terrific night and a great crowd and it’s good for Shark Park, let’s hope the footy’s great.

“Plenty of good memories and great to catch up with all the old boys today. It’s been a ton of laughs and really well done by the club.”

Mat Rogers was one of those former Sharks who strolled the ground with Green and described him as “an incredible competitor”.

“It was great – we played golf on Friday together and spent time at the reunion together,” Rogers told AAP. “He was telling me about the new boat he’d just bought for the family and I was looking forward to going for a ride. I can’t believe he’s gone … it makes me appreciate that time I got to spend with him.

“We played together for years and he was just an incredible competitor. There was nothing of him and he just never took a backward step.”

His former teammate, Martin Lang, posted on social media: “This is so sad. Paul was a close mate, we moved to Sydney together in 1993….the beginning of an outstanding NRL playing/coaching career. My sincere condolences to Paul’s wife, children and his dear mum and dad. Rest In Peace mate.”

Tributes flowed from the very top of the game in Australia.

“Paul was a brilliant player, and then became one of the few to make a very successful transition into coaching,” said Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys. “Throughout his career [he] had a reputation as a halfback who was as tough as he was skilful.

“As a coach he led the North Queensland Cowboys to one of the most famous Grand Final victories of all time – against Brisbane Broncos in 2015. He represented Queensland and Australia as a player, and only last year coached the Maroons in the State of Origin series.

“I had the pleasure of sitting on the NRL Competition Committee and found Paul to be a passionate, smart and witty individual. Our condolences go to his family and to his many friends.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also paid tribute by posting on Twitter that she was “shocked and saddened to hear of Paul Green’s death. Deepest condolences to his friends and family”.

Maroons legend Cameron Smith said it was a tragedy to lose Green so young.

“He was a premiership coach of course with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2015,” he said on SEN Radio. “It’s a very sad day for all involved with the rugby league family and the rugby league community, and we send our condolences out to the entire Green family.”

Smith’s co-host Denan Kemp also paid tribute to Green with the pair having spent time together at the Broncos and Wynnum Manly in the QRL.

“I was fortunate enough (to know Paul), he was my kicking and catching coach when I was coming through at the Broncos,” Kemp said. “He was also my coach when I was at Wynnum, I had a small amount to do with him … he’s a fighter. It’s a very sad day, a very, very sad day.”

After finishing as Cowboys coach in 2020, he took over as Queensland coach the following year but resigned after one series to concentrate on the search for another full-time NRL position.

In total, he was in charge of the Cowboys in 167 games.

Born on September 12, 1972, he was one of the shortest players in the first grade in the 1990s but he made up for his lack of size by being one of the most creative halfbacks in the competition.

He was pivotal in Cronulla’s rise under coach John Lang to being a finals force alongside Mitch Healey in the halves with the likes of Andrew Ettingshausen, David Peachey, Mat Rogers and Jason Stevens.

Green represented Queensland in three matches in the 1997 Super League tri-series as well as two internationals for the rebel national team and also played for the Maroons in seven Origins from 1999-2001.

After taking up a lucrative offer to join the Cowboys in ’99, he spent two seasons at the club before stints with the Roosters, Eels and Broncos.

“We are deeply saddened at the tragic passing of Queenslander and former Bronco, Paul Green,” the Broncos tweeted. “A legend on and off the field gone far too soon.”

Green is survived by wife Amanda and children Emerson and Jed.

Help is available to anyone experiencing mental health problems, 24 hours a day, by phoning Lifeline on 13 11 14

Paul Green 1972-2022

Age: 49, born September 12, 1972

NRL playing career: 162 games; Cronulla (95 games, 1994-1998), North Queensland (35 games, 1999-2000), Sydney Roosters (20 games, 2001-2002), Parramatta (seven games, 2003), Brisbane (five games, 2004)

Representative playing career: Queensland (seven games, 1999-2001), Queensland (Super League, three games, 1997), Australia (Super League, two games, 1997) 

Coaching career: North Queensland (167 games, 2014-2020, 87 wins and 80 losses for 52.1 per cent win rate)

Representative coaching career: Queensland (three games, 2021, one win and two losses for 33 per cent win rate)

Career highlights: Coach of North Queensland’s inaugural premiership victory in 2015

– Mentored North Queensland to club’s third Grand Final appearance in 2017 but defeated by Melbourne
– Received Rothmans Medal in 1993 (Brisbane Rugby League) and 1995 (NSW Rugby League) as best and fairest player of the competition
– Super League grand finalist with Cronulla in 1997 but defeated by Brisbane
– Assistant coach at Brisbane in 2006 premiership-winning season, assistant coach at Sydney Roosters in 2013 premiership-winning season.