North Queensland Cowboy veteran forward Matt Scott is recovering in hospital after suffering a mild stroke on Sunday.
The Cowboys were returning to Townsville on Sunday morning after being beaten 42-6 by the Knights in Newcastle on Saturday night.
Green said the serious nature of Scott's illness became apparent while the team was on a stopover in Brisbane.
"By the time we arrived in Brisbane he was pretty crook, and so we decided to send him to hospital," the coach said on Tuesday.
"Look, it's pretty serious, I'd be surprised if he does play again, but I think that is the least of his worries at this stage."
Scott, a one-club man who is playing his 16th season with the Cowboys, announced in July that 2019 would be his last year in the league.
Scott has scored 19 tries in 269 games for the North Queensland side and was a co-captain in the Cowboys' 2015 grand final win and the 2016 World Club Challenge win.
He also played a part in eight of Queensland's State of Origin series victories over NSW, and played 22 Tests for Australia.
The 34-year-old Scott played 36 minutes in the Cowboys' loss to Newcastle.
Prior to Green's press conference, the club had put out a statement confirming the news of Scott's stroke, saying doctors were confident it was unrelated to football and that he was expected to make a full recovery.
"That's not what we expected — we knew he was pretty crook coming off the flight, but for it to be what it is, it's quite surprising and I think everyone's a bit taken aback by what's actually happened," Green said.
"Like all of your players, you build a pretty special relationship with them along the way.
"It's similar in some ways, I suppose, to a family. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's uncomfortable, but in the end it's always a strong relationship, what you go through together.
"There's some people here who have been with him [Scott] a lot longer than I have so I'm sure they're probably feeling it just as bad if not worse.
"It's tougher for Matt and his family as well, that's the important thing, we need to make sure we support them."
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